Three killed in area crashes

A fatal crash in Richmond yesterday and Friday's wreck that killed two people in Henrico County brought this year's statewide total of highway fatalities to 454, compared with 522 at the same time in 2008.

Yesterday a driver was killed after she crashed a minivan into a GRTC Transit System bus that was stopped at a bus stop about 6:30 p.m. near Fairfield Avenue and Kane Street in Richmond's East End.

The minivan was eastbound along Fairfield Avenue when it slammed into the back of the bus, police said. The woman driving the minivan died at the scene. The bus driver and one bus passenger were taken to VCU Medical Center with injuries described as minor.

Authorities are withholding the dead woman's name pending family notification.

Friday, two people died from injuries received in a two-vehicle crash at South Holly Avenue and Pleasant Street in Highland Springs.

Henrico County police and fire responded to the crash in east Henrico at about 5:45 p.m.

Police said David B. Hicks, 58, of South Ivy Avenue and Harriet G. Meadowcroft, 78, of Longstreet Avenue were killed in the crash. Both addresses are in Highland Springs.

Hicks was driving a Dodge Dakota pickup truck, police said, and a passenger was not seriously injured. Meadowcroft was driving a Chevrolet Malibu.

"The cause of the crash is under investigation by our crash team members," said Lt. Tom Slayton of Patrol Operations.

Contact Tammie Smith at (804) 649-6572 or .

Contact Reed Williams at (804) 649-6332 or .