Driver Suspected in Chain Reaction Crash Turns Himself In

Update

The driver that police said slammed into the back of four cars causing a chain reaction crash and then fled the scene turned himself in to police.

More on that, and the victims in the crash in a press release from police:

Hit & Run Multiple Vehicle Crash – On February 20th at 8:00PM, police responded to the area of Dale Blvd and Cloverdale Rd in Woodbridge (22193) for a multi-vehicle crash. The investigation revealed that the driver of a 1989 Toyota Camry was traveling eastbound on Dale Blvd at a high rate of speed when the vehicle struck a 2005 GMC Yukon from behind.

This collision caused a rear end chain reaction with a 1998 Jeep Cherokee, a 1996 Honda Civic, and a 2003 Honda Accord. The driver of the Toyota fled the scene shortly after the crash. The vehicles were originally stopped at the intersection because of a red traffic light. After the collision the drivers of the Accord and Civic exited their vehicles to check on the occupants of the other vehicles.

At that point, the driver of a 2000 Dodge Caravan was traveling eastbound, approaching the crash, and had to make an evasive maneuver to avoid colliding with the vehicles involved in the original crash. In the process, the Caravan struck the drivers of the Accord and Civic. The drivers of the Accord and Civic, in addition to, a passenger from the 1989 Toyota Camry (injury sustained in original crash) were flown to an area hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

A passenger in the GMC Yukon was ground transported to an area hospital also for non-life threatening injuries. Investigators were able to identify the driver of the Toyota who fled the scene. Following the investigation, warrants were obtained. On February 21st, the accused turned himself into police without incident.

Arrested on February 21st: (No Photo Available)

Elmer E HERNANDEZ, 37, of 4657 Whitaker Pl in Woodbridge

The driver of the 1989 Toyota Camry

Charged with hit & run, reckless driving, no seatbelt, and driving with an open container

Court date and bond information unavailable

Identified:

The passenger of the 1989 Toyota Camry was identified as a 20 year old man of Woodbridge

The driver of the 2005 GMC Yukon was identified as a 42 year man of Woodbridge

The passenger of the 2005 GMC Yukon was identified as a 40 year old woman of Woodbridge

The driver of the 1998 Jeep Cherokee was identified as a 56 year old man of Woodbridge

The driver of the 1996 Honda Civic was identified as a 20 year old woman of Woodbridge

The driver of the 2003 Honda Accord was identified as a 25 year old man of Woodbridge

The driver of the 2000 Dodge Caravan was identified as a 43 year old man of Woodbridge

10:25 p.m. 

DALE CITY, Va. — A serious crash on Dale Boulevard on Wednesday night left four people injured.

It happened just before 9 p.m. when three vehicles – a Honda car, Jeep and Chevrolet Suburban SUVs all headed east on Dale Boulevard in Dale City — were stopped at a signal light at the intersection of Cloverdale Road. Then, an older model Toyota Corolla slammed into the back of the Suburban causing a chain reaction impact, forcing the Suburban into the Jeep, and then Jeep into the Honda, said Prince William police 1st Sgt. Martin Douglas.

Police were unclear early into the investigation if the signal light was green or red at the time of the crash.

Driver of the Toyota fled the scene leaving behind a passenger, who along with the other occupants of the stricken vehicles, got out to check on the condition of everyone involved in the crash.

About the same time, a Dodge minivan cane up from behind, and when the driver saw the pedestrians in the middle of the road, the driver then swerved into a left turn lane to avoid hitting the pedestrians, said Douglas.

At least two people were standing in the turn land and were struck, and so were two others on the scene. Two victims were flown to Inova Fairfax Hospital and two others were taken to Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center. Their conditions were not released.

Police put out a search for the driver of the Toyota but had not located him as of 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. Douglas said the passenger in that car was one of the people flown to a hospital, and police suspect he had been drinking prior to the crash.

Police closed a portion of Dale Boulevard between Darbydale Avenue and Cloverdale Road headed east, and Benita Fitzgerald Drive and Cloverdale Road during crash investigation.

The westbound portion of Dale Boulevard was reopened to traffic shortly after 9:30 p.m.

Police did not immediately have information on charges in this case.

The incident was one of several pedestrian-involved crashes in Prince William on Wednesday night. Another crash was reported in the Manassas area at the intersection of Lomond and Garner drives. We’ll bring you more information on that crash once we have it.

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