NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- A driver who crashed on Interstate 64 was arrested and charged with the death of his passenger.
Daniel Ryan Crawford, 23, of Poquoson, was taken to the hospital following the September 17 crash near Oyster Point Road in Newport News.
"Crawford was driving a Jeep Cherokee when he attempted to exit the interstate at the 256 mile marker," a Virginia State Police spokesperson said. "Crawford ran off the roadway into the gore area and struck a tree, which caused the vehicle to become fully engulfed."
He was released from Riverside Regional Hospital October 11 and arrested the next day.
Crawford was charged with Aggravated DUI Manslaughter, Driving Under the Influence, Reckless Driving, and Driving While Suspended.
Crawford's passenger, 20-year-old Conner Gays, of Chesterfield, was unable to escape the fiery wreckage and died at the scene.
Gays was laid to rest September 23 at Hollywood Cemetery.
"Conner had a deep love for music. He was extremely passionate about writing and expressing his thoughts and feelings through lyrics, and he loved creating beats and reading," family wrote in his obituary.
"Above everything, he wanted to make a difference in this world."