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Topping woman dies in crash

Rescue workers respond to Tuesday’s fatal crash on Route 3 at Topping.

Clara Banks, 82, of Topping, died when the SUV she was riding in was struck from the rear and overturned on Tuesday, said Sergeant G.T. Mathias of the Virginia State Police.

Video courtesy of Sheriff Abbott of Middlesex County

According to police, Banks was a passenger in a GMC Yukon SUV driven by her daughter, Yvonne Gregory, 67, of Topping. They were traveling north on Route 3 toward the Norris Bridge when the crash occurred about 300 yards from Route 33 at 4:11 p.m. Gregory was attempting to make a right turn into her driveway when her vehicle was struck from the rear by a Lincoln Navigator SUV. The impact caused Gregory’s vehicle to go off the roadway, down a small embankment and overturn. Mrs. Banks died at the scene, police said.

Charges are pending against the Navigator driver who is a 17-year-old male from Middlesex. It appears driver inattention is a crash factor, said Sgt. Mathias. The driver’s name was not released because he is a juvenile.

All persons involved were wearing seat belts. Mrs. Gregory was flown by helicopter to Riverside Regional Hospital in Newport News, and the 17-year-old male was transported to Rappahannock General Hospital in Kilmarnock. It appeared neither had life-threatening injuries, said Sgt. Mathias.

A State Police accident reconstruction team worked at the scene until 8:30 p.m. VDOT set up signs and detoured traffic around the crash site.

posted 11.11.2009

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