Mechanicsville couple dies in motorcycle wreck

The number of people killed in motorcycle crashes this week in the Richmond area climbed to three with the deaths Thursday night of a husband and wife from Mechanicsville.

Robert C. Jones, 46, and Elizabeth V. Jones, 44, of the 6400 block of Camille Drive in Hanover County were identified yesterday as the victims of Thursday's 7:39 p.m. crash.

Sgt. Chris R. Whitley of the Hanover County Sheriff's Office said the crash occurred when a motorcycle carrying the two people wrecked while traveling north in the 6300 block of Cold Harbor Road, about a mile east of their home.

Elizabeth Jones was pronounced dead at the scene; Robert Jones died a short time later at VCU Medical Center, Whitley said.

Authorities yesterday were in the early stages of their investigation into the wreck, which occurred on a relatively straight, fairly level, two-lane stretch of Cold Harbor Road, Whitley said. "We're still trying to determine if there were any contributing factors to the crash," he said.

As part of its investigation of the crash, the Sheriff's Office was awaiting autopsy results from the state medical examiner's office.

On Tuesday afternoon, Bradley J. Ferguson, 21, of Glen Allen died after crashing his motorcycle on the Manchester Bridge in downtown Richmond. Police have arrested two men who they say were riding with Ferguson at the time of the crash and have charged them with reckless driving by engaging in a race between two or more motor vehicles on a highway.

Contact Joe Macenka at (804) 649-6804 or .