Two die in wrecks on Va. roads Jan. 1

The first fatality of 2009 on Virginia roads occurred in Fairfax County one minute into the new year.

Joseph A. Taylor, 31, of Herndon was driving on state Route 228, just north of state Route 6251 Thursday morning when his vehicle ran off the road, went through a fence and struck a house, Virginia State Police said. The time of the wreck was listed as 12:01 a.m.

Taylor, who died at the scene, was not wearing a seat belt, police said.

The second highway fatality of the year in Virginia, which happened about 3:30 a.m. Thursday in Pittsylvania County, was reported in yesterday's Richmond Times-Dispatch. That victim also was not wearing a seat belt.