CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- Authorities have released the name of a Vietnam veteran killed in a motorcycle crash at a busy Chesterfield County intersection Thursday afternoon.
Chesterfield Police said the crash happened around 2:45 p.m. Thursday when a Harley Davidson motorcycle traveling south on Jefferson Davis Highway hit a vehicle that was turning left from Jefferson Davis Highway onto Happy Hill Road.
The driver of the motorcycle, 71-year-old Argyl Stevens, of the 15000 block of Sandwave Road in Chester, died at the scene, according to police.
An officer said Stevens was a Vietnam veteran who served in the Marine Corps.
The crash closed lanes at Jefferson Davis Highway and Happy Hill Road in Chesterfield County for hours.
Anyone with information about the wreck is asked to call the Chesterfield County Police Department at 804-748-1251 or Crime Solvers at 804-748-0660 or through the P3 app.
#BREAKING: @CCPDVa confirm the driver of a motorcycle was killed in this crash on Jefferson Davis Hwy and Happy Hill Rd. Police say the motorcycle was driving south when it hit an SUV turning left from the NB lane. All SB lanes of Jefferson Hwy. remain closed. @CBS6 pic.twitter.com/c5nNYIstWg
— Shannon Lilly CBS 6 (@ShannonLillyTV) June 17, 2021
'It’s a bad spot,' man says intersection where crash happened
Shaun Mizelle was working at Stephanie's Pet Grooming in the nearby Happy Hill Shopping Center when it happened.
"A couple coworkers of mine were up front and they saw the dentist office run across the parking lot," said Mizelle.
He and others working at the shopping center at the time said people at Friend Family Dentistry attempted to perform CPR, to no avail.
Hours later, as police and forensics investigated, motorcyclists and those who knew the victim gathered nearby --- embracing and grieving.
"It just really runs things home that he probably just went out for a spin and didn’t come back," Mizelle said.
Mizelle added that he had seen many accidents happen at the same intersection, but said the aftermath of Thursday's crash was the worst he had seen.
"I mean it’s a bad spot there’s been a lot of accidents right there," Mizelle said.
He added that the light at Happy Hill Rd. and Jefferson Davis Hwy, had recently been installed in the last couple of years. The light now operates with a flashing yellow turn signal on the left turn.
"Before that light was there we wouldn’t even leave that way -- we would go out that way. And even with that light there you still kinda gotta be careful. Especially if you’re going right on red -- like people coming flying over that hill," Mizelle said.
He added that his thoughts were with those impacted by Thursday's crash
"Condolences to the family on both sides it's just a terrible thing to happen," Mizelle said.
