HANOVER COUNTY, Va. -- Three people are dead, including the suspect in a Chesterfield double homicide, and two others injured after a four-vehicle wreck closed all lanes of Interstate 295 near Chamberlayne Road (mile marker 41) in Mechanicsville Friday afternoon.
High-ranking sources confirmed to WTVR CBS 6 News that the suspect, who was wanted for a double murder at a Chesterfield County home involving a woman and child, died in the crash.
Virginia State Police spokesperson Sgt. Steve Vick said Chesterfield police asked for troopers' help apprehending the double murder suspect Friday afternoon.
Vick said a trooper spotted the suspect’s car, a silver Chevrolet Corvette, on I-295 north. When that trooper activated his lights, Vick said the suspect sped away at a high speed.
"Within seconds, the Chevrolet ran off the left shoulder, went through the grassy median and struck a Chevrolet sedan that was traveling south on I-295 in the left lane," Vick said. "The Chevrolet sedan then spun around striking a Nissan in the southbound lanes. As the Nissan Sentra spun around it was struck by a Lincoln MKZ, also traveling in the southbound lanes of I-295."
Vick said the driver of the Corvette, 46-year-old Stafford L. Shaw of Sandston, died at the scene. The driver and passenger inside the Chevrolet Malibu also died at the scene. Their names are being withheld until next-of-kin is notified.
The driver of the Nissan, 55-year-old Cynthia D. Robinson of Richmond, was transported to VCU Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. The driver of Lincoln, 66-year-old John C. White of Hampton, was transported to Memorial Regional with non-life threatening injuries.
Virginia State Police, along with the Hanover deputies and Henrico police, are on the scene. State police are investigating the accident.
As of 6:45 p.m., VDOT reopened the southbound lanes, but said that a four-mile backup remained. The interstate's northbound lanes reopened nearly two hours after the wreck.
Virginia State Police, along with the Hanover deputies and Henrico police, are on the scene. State police are investigating the accident.
The crash happened at about 2:54 p.m., police said. Witnesses reported seeing two cars, one on fire and one overturned in a ditch.
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Chesterfield double murder
The bodies of a woman and child were found inside a home in the 20300 block of Ferintosh Court Friday afternoon, according to Chesterfield Police. Police are investigating their deaths as a double homicide. Police found the bodies when they responded to the home at about 12:10 p.m. for a welfare check.
"Upon arriving and checking the residence, police found two victims, an adult female and a juvenile female, who were deceased," Chesterfield Police spokeswoman Elizabeth Caroon wrote in an email. "Police continue their investigation into this incident."
Police have not yet released information about a possible suspect.
A neighbor, who asked not to be identified, said he was shocked by the massive police presence when he came home on Friday.
