6 die on Va. highways; 2 pedestrians killed

A tow truck spun out of control Monday on Interstate 81 in Montgomery County, killing the driver.

State police said Richard Anthony Woodward, 63, of Rosedale, Md., died at the scene at 1:09 p.m. and was not wearing a seat belt. His northbound truck left the interstate 4 miles north of U.S. 11, entered the median and then spun back to the right side of the road, ejecting the driver, police said.

In Giles County on Tuesday, 17-year-old Briana Lynn Colle of Ripplemead died when her eastbound car left U.S. 460 and crossed the median into the westbound lane, striking another vehicle and overturning.

Colle died at the scene at 6:40 p.m. She was not wearing a seat belt, police said.

Her death brought the state highway death toll to 144, compared with 206 as of the same date last year.

In other fatalities, Kevin M. Muse, 25, of Troutville died Sunday when his northbound vehicle left U.S. 220 in Botetourt County, two-tenths of a mile south of state Route 1126. Muse, who police said was not wearing a seat belt, died at 5:12 a.m. when the car hit a tree.

Vincent M. Cotman, 43, of Charles City County died Saturday in Charles City when his car left the road and struck a utility pole, police said. He died at the scene, near state Routes 603 and 666, at about 9 p.m.

Police said Jennifer Marie Perry, 21, of Winchester died Friday when her car crossed the center line of state Route 656 and struck a vehicle head-on. She died minutes after the 9 p.m. collision, which occurred in Frederick County, two-tenths of a mile north of state Route 657.

A Virginia Beach man, William A. Barry III, 39, died March 21 at about 1:30 a.m. in Chesapeake, shortly after his car crossed Kempsville Road 10 feet west of Snowberry Lane and rolled over several times. He was not wearing a seat belt, police said.

On March 19, pedestrian Lakeisha Diane Green, 22, of Williamsburg died when she crossed state Route 199 and was hit by two vehicles. She died at the scene from her injuries at 9:30 a.m.

Another pedestrian, Horace Clay Atkins, 63, of Charlottesville died March 26 shortly after 9 p.m. when he was struck crossing Avon Street near Hinton Avenue in Charlottesville. His death was the 14th pedestrian death of the year, compared with 28 at this time last year.