Two die in late-morning, 4-vehicle crash on U.S. 58

Published 11:08 pm Monday, July 25, 2022

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Virginia State Police responded Monday morning, July 25, to a four-vehicle crash on U.S. Route 58 at Route 671 in Southampton County that resulted in two fatalities.

State police stated in a news release that the crash occurred in the eastbound lanes of U.S. 58 and that they responded to the incident at 11:30 a.m.  

Another fatal crash had occurred earlier in the morning on U.S. 58 eastbound at Pretlow Street, which resulted in the flow of traffic going below the posted speed limit as the morning advanced.

The driver of a 2007 International tractor-trailer, Stephen McNeil, was traveling in the eastbound lanes at the posted speed limit when he approached traffic and struck the rear of a 2017 Kenworth dump truck, police stated. Upon collision, the tractor-trailer struck a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, and the dump truck was pushed into another tractor-trailer. 

Both the dump truck and the tractor-trailer driven by McNeil, caught fire upon collision, the release stated.

McNeil, 70 years of age, of Monroe, North Carolina, died upon impact, police said. His front seat passenger, Bobby Nicholson, 57 years of age, also of Monroe, was ejected from the tractor-trailer and died upon impact. 

The release stated that the driver of the dump truck, Christopher Vinson, suffered minor non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to Bon Secours – Southampton Medical Center. 

The driver of the Malibu suffered minor injuries, and the driver of the FTL TT did not suffer any injuries, police said. 

Alcohol was not a contributing factor in the crash, the release stated.

Notification has been made to family members of the deceased.

Maj. Camden Cobb, of the Southampton County Sheriff’s Office, stated that deputies provided assistance on the scene. He said the sheriff’s office received a call at 11:34 a.m.

“It was called in as a semi truck on fire, possibly involved in a motor vehicle accident,” he said. “Another caller later stated that there was a dump truck that was smoking.”

Heavy dark smoke could be seen drifting over Armory Drive after the crash occurred.

Cobb confirmed that fire department units were dispatched, and Courtland Volunteer Fire Department was among the responding agencies.