Hampton, VA (March 25, 2021) – A crash on Interstate 64 in Hampton claimed the life of a 36-year-old man from Williamsburg on Wednesday morning, March 24.
Troopers with the Virginia State Police identified the driver who died as Brandon Scott Chandler. The driver of the other vehicle involved, identified as 21-year-old Zariah Leanna Darden of Hampton, has been charged with reckless driving, driving while intoxicated, felony hit-and-run, possession of marijuana, no insurance, and expired registration.
The crash, first reported around 9:30 a.m., shut down all eastbound lanes near the Hampton Roads Center Parkway and mile marker 261.6 for several hours on Wednesday. Initial investigation revealed that Darden was allegedly speeding in her 2009 Nisson Altima on I-64 and attempted to change lanes, hitting a red 2013 Toyota Tacoma driven by Chandler.
When she struck the truck, her vehicle spun out several times. The impact of the collision caused the Toyota to leave the roadway and strike a tree. Darden then allegedly attempted to flee the scene and ran down the interstate. She was detained by troopers who arrived on the scene shortly after the incident occurred.
Chandler was transported to Riverside Regional Medical Center in Newport News via ambulance but later died from his injuries.
Further charges may be pending upon consultation with the Hampton Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, officers said.
We would like to offer our deepest condolences to the family of Brandon Scott Chandler.
Fatal Car Accidents in Virginia
Each year, hundreds of people are killed in traffic-related incidents throughout the commonwealth of Virginia. Although these accidents are often preventable, we are forced to witness the overwhelming consequences families are forced to endure. Hundreds of victims are rushed to area hospitals after their accidents where they have to undergo emergency medical treatment and spend days or even weeks in recovery. Victims often require therapy for their injuries, which is time-consuming and costly. Unfortunately, not every accident victim is able to recover.
In many cases, the negligent or reckless actions of others are the cause of the accidents. Statistics show that more than 80% of accidents are caused by drivers who are texting, talking on their phones, impaired, or engaging in reckless behaviors while operating their vehicles. When people sustain fatal injuries in accidents caused by the actions of other motorists, their families should reach out to a wrongful death attorney in Virginiaas soon as possible. Families may be entitled to compensation to help alleviate the financial burdens they face moving forward.
Working with a competent Virginia Beach attorney will ensure your family is able to move forward and recover after experience a loss resulting from the negligence of another driver. Virginia personal injury attorney Ron Kramer of Virginia Beach Law Firm has extensive experience helping grieving families get the justice they deserve after losing a loved one in a preventable collision. We provide proven and effective legal guidance to ensure our clients are able to protect their legal rights after enduring a tragic loss. Our team stops at nothing to ensure our clients are in the best position possible to move forward. If you’ve lost a loved one in an auto accident in the Virginia Beach area, contact our Virginia personal injury law firm at (757) 802-4662 to schedule a free case evaluation at your earliest convenience to explore legal options available for you.
Note: Our team of writers uses secondary sources when gathering information for these posts. This includes, but is not limited to local news stories, police accident reports, and eyewitness accounts of injury accidents in the Hampton Roads area. Our staff does not independently verify the information in our posts. As a result, if you find any information that is not correct or if you would prefer that we remove the post, please contact our firm right away so that we can make the appropriate changes to reflect the most accurate information available or remove the post.
Disclaimer: Virginia Beach Injury Law has worked hard throughout the years to become valued members of the local Virginia Beach business community. Our goal in writing these posts is to inform and educate Virginia residents about the dangers of driving and boating in hopes that everyone will use caution when operating any type of vehicle or watercraft and avoid being involved in a serious accident. This post should not be misconstrued as a solicitation for business. These posts are not intended to be legal or medical advice. The photos depicted in this post are not from the actual accident scene.