VIRGINIA — A man and a woman were killed Sunday evening in a three-vehicle crash on the Robert O. Norris Jr. Bridge, prompting an emergency closure of the eastbound lane and raising concerns about structural damage to the bridge.
Virginia State Police responded to the scene at approximately 6:53 p.m. on July 13.
The crash involved a Mercedes-Benz ML350 SUV, a Subaru Outback, and a Ford Fusion on Route 3.
According to investigators, 30-year-old David Foster of Lancaster County was driving the Mercedes westbound at a high rate of speed when he attempted to pass another vehicle in the eastbound lane. During the maneuver, the Mercedes sideswiped the Subaru before crashing head-on into the Ford Fusion.
Foster’s passenger, 42-year-old Crystal Michelle Lyles, also of Lancaster County, was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Ford Fusion, 33-year-old Ernesto Santiago of Hampton, also died at the scene.
Foster was airlifted to a hospital for treatment. The 27-year-old woman driving the Subaru, from Richmond, was not injured.
Police said neither Foster, Lyles, nor Santiago was wearing a seat belt. Speed and alcohol are believed to be major factors in the crash, which caused a vehicle fire and damage to the bridge.
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has closed the eastbound lane of the Robert O. Norris Jr. Bridge indefinitely while emergency inspections are conducted.
The bridge was already scheduled for structural maintenance from July 14 through July 19.
The investigation remains ongoing.
