RICHMOND, Va. -- Virginia State Police said Saturday evening that three deaths have been linked to the massive winter storm dumping snow across the Commonwealth.
One of those deaths happened during a crash in Chesapeake Friday. Additionally, two other deaths attributed to hypothermia were reported in Hampton and Wise County, according to the Office of the Virginia Chief Medical Examiner.
State police and the Virginia Department of Transportation have been warning residents to stay home.
"Just as state officials and law enforcement are advising Virginians to stay off the roads, we are also urging people to stay indoors," Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said. "The freezing temperatures, drifting snow, and white-out conditions are extremely dangerous for individuals to be out walking around in, as people can slip and fall and/or become disoriented very easily in such conditions."
Geller pointed folks to the Virginia Department of Health's list of safety tipsto stay protected from the extreme conditions.
Crashes
As of 5 p.m., troppers were working 17 traffic crashes statewide and 63 disabled vehicles. The majority of stuck, disabled vehicles are occurring in the Metro-Richmond and Northern Virginia regions.
"Road conditions remain hazardous with drifting snow and white-out conditions across much of the state," Geller said. "There may be no snow in Hampton Roads, but traffic crashes continue to plague the region due to slick, icy roads."
State police also asked the public to check on their neighbors and bring any pets inside.
