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Stephanie T. Morton

Age : 46

Gender : Female

Race : White

Date : 03/18/2021

Location : Interstate 95 Express Lanes near mile marker 155

City : Dale City

County : Prince William

State : Virginia

Agency : Virginia State Police

Officer(s) :Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Driver killed in police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

REASON FOR CHASE: A Virginia State Police trooper attempted to stop Stephanie T. Morton for driving 80 mph in a posted 65 mph zone on northbound Interstate 95 near mile marker 127 in Spotsylvania County. Morton continued away from the attempted stop and the trooper pursued.
NARRATIVE:
On 03/18/2021, 46-year-old Stephanie T. Morton of Richmond was killed along with passenger Tia O. Porter, 26, and uninvolved driver Kenneth Crosby Jr., 61, when Morton's Dodge Avenger crashed after a Virginia State Police pursuit that began in Spotsylvania County and ended in Prince William County.

At approximately 4:33 p.m., a Virginia State Police trooper attempted to stop Morton's 2008 Dodge Avenger on northbound Interstate 95 near mile marker 127 after observing the vehicle traveling 80 mph in a posted 65 mph zone. Morton continued away from the attempted stop and the trooper initiated a pursuit.

Within approximately two minutes, the trooper terminated the pursuit because of heavy northbound traffic. Morton continued north at high speed using the left shoulder of Interstate 95.

Virginia State Police troopers farther north positioned themselves for the approaching Dodge. When traffic conditions became lighter, troopers located Morton and initiated another pursuit. Police reported that Morton reached speeds of approximately 100 mph.

Morton entered the I-95 Express Lanes by crashing through three illuminated warning gates. The Express Lanes had been switched to carry southbound traffic for the evening commute, but Morton continued north into the opposing traffic. The pursuing trooper did not follow her into the Express Lanes.

At approximately mile marker 155 in Prince William County, Morton's northbound Dodge collided head-on with a southbound Ford Ranger driven by 61-year-old Kenneth Crosby Jr. The impact forced Crosby's pickup off the roadway and over a guardrail.

Two additional southbound vehicles then collided with Morton's Dodge, which caught fire. Morton died at the scene. Porter was ejected from the Dodge and also died at the scene. Crosby sustained fatal injuries and died at the scene. Several occupants of the other vehicles were injured.

The 03/18/2021 Prince William County FARS entry documenting three fatalities corresponds with this Virginia State Police pursuit crash.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/three-killed-in-crash-on-interstate-95-in-prince-william-county/2021/03/18/4dc47dac-8858-11eb-82bc-e58213caa38e_story.html
https://www.fox5dc.com/news/3-dead-after-fiery-multi-vehicle-crash-in-prince-william-county
https://www.potomaclocal.com/2021/03/18/3-killed-in-fiery-crash-on-express-lanes-at-dale-city/