11-year-old dies after blown tire sends truck careening into a car, Virginia cops say
An 11-year-old girl died after a “sudden” tire blowout sent a truck crashing into a car in Virginia, officials said.
A driver from North Carolina reportedly was behind the wheel of a “converted ambulance truck” when the tire blew out along Interstate 95, a major East Coast thoroughfare. The truck driver then lost control, careening off the the interstate and onto Blue Star Highway over Labor Day weekend, according to Virginia State Police.
Officers in a news release said the incident caused the truck to slam into a Kia, injuring three people inside. An 11-year-old passenger later died.
“To find out that somebody got killed, a young kid, that just sends chills all through your body,” Kenneth Jones, who was at the crash scene, told WTVR. “It’s really tough to stomach.”
The crash was reported at about 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 4. It happened in Sussex County, roughly 50 miles south of Richmond.
Officials said the southbound truck ran into the side of the Kia, which had been going north on Blue Star Highway. The road — also called U.S. Route 301 — is next to the interstate, according to The Progress-Index newspaper.
No one from the truck was hurt in the crash, the newspaper reported. One adult and two children from the Kia — including the 11-year-old Prince George County girl — were taken to a Petersburg hospital with serious injuries.
The deceased child had been sitting in the back seat of the Kia and was wearing a seat belt, according to police.
Officers said speed and alcohol didn’t factor into the crash, and no charges are pending.
Virginia State Police didn’t immediately share additional information with McClatchy News on Sept. 6.
This story was originally published September 6, 2022 at 8:21 AM with the headline "11-year-old dies after blown tire sends truck careening into a car, Virginia cops say."
