3 die in weather-related traffic crashes today in Virginia

Three people died today in weather-related crashes across Virginia, state police said this afternoon.

The first wreck about 4:35 a.m. after a driver whose pickup truck collided with a fallen tree was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer on state Route 56 in Nelson County.

Alger H. Fleming, 66, of Amherst was killed after he left his vehicle to inspect his damaged pickup. Police said he was struck by an eastbound tractor-trailer that swerved to avoid hitting Fleming's pickup about 1.8 miles west of state Route 655. No charges will be filed, police said.

Nearly four hours later, a Massachusetts woman was killed and three others were injured in a single-vehicle crash on U.S. 13 in Northampton County on the Eastern Shore.

The 8:11 a.m. wreck occurred when a southbound car carrying all four occupants ran off the road and into the median, briefly entered the northbound lanes and then veered back into the median before overturning several times about one-tenth of a mile south of state Route 688.

A passenger, identified as Yesenia Rivera, 30, of Waltham, Mass., was ejected and died at the scene. The driver and two other passengers were taken to Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries, police said.

Police said Rivera wasn't wearing a safety belt. The other occupants were all restrained. The wreck remains under investigation.

About 15 minutes later, a Smithfield woman was killed and two others were injured when their car collided head-on with a tractor-trailer on state Route 258 in Isle of Wight County. The driver, Amy C. Pippin, 26, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The wreck occurred just after 8:30 a.m. when Pippin, traveling south, attempted to pass a vehicle in front of her and collided with the northbound tractor-trailer, just north of state Route 652. Pippin's two children, ages 3 and 6, were airlifted to Norfolk Sentra Hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The tractor-trailer driver was taken to Obici Hospital in Suffolk with non-life threatening injuries. All parties were wearing safety belts, police said.

The tractor-trailer was carrying a load of livestock and several animals were killed in the crash. No charges will be filed in the wreck, police said.

-- Mark Bowes