WISE — Police believe speed was a factor in a fatal crash in Wise County early Sunday that claimed the lives of two local teens and injured three others.
On Monday, Virginia State Police Senior Trooper G.A. Powers said the accident occurred about 3:40 a.m. near the Esserville intersection of U.S. Route 23 between Norton and Wise.
Powers said the 17-year-old female driver of a 2005 Volkswagen Beetle coupe lost control entering a southbound curve about one-tenth of a mile north of the Esserville intersection, at mile marker 45, and went off the right side of the four-lane roadway.
The vehicle struck a guardrail and overturned, then flipped over the guardrail and overturned several more times down a steep embankment. Four of the five occupants were ejected, and none of the occupants was wearing a seat belt, Powers said.
Jerald Kevin Johnson, 17, was declared dead at the scene. Austin Joseph Bolling, 15, was pronounced dead after being airlifted to Holston Valley Medical Center in Kingsport. The driver was also airlifted to HVMC and is recovering from her injuries there, Powers said.
Two other occupants — Jeremy Houston Vires of Norton and Ajay Johnson of Wise, both 17 — were taken to Mountain View Regional Hospital in Norton and later released with minor injuries.
Powers said it “appears speed was a factor” in the fatal crash, and the matter is still under investigation. The identity of the driver was being withheld on Monday pending the conclusion of the investigation, he said.
Powers said he will meet with Wise County Commonwealth’s Attorney Ron Elkins to discuss the potential of filing charges against the driver only after concluding the investigation.