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Tia O. Porter

Age : 26

Gender : Female

Race : Black

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 : Passenger killed in police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

REASON FOR CHASE: A Virginia State Police trooper attempted to stop the Dodge Avenger in which Tia O. Porter was a passenger after observing the vehicle traveling 80 mph in a posted 65 mph zone on northbound Interstate 95 near mile marker 127 in Spotsylvania County. Driver Stephanie T. Morton continued away from the attempted stop and the trooper pursued.
NARRATIVE:
On 03/18/2021, 26-year-old Tia O. Porter of Richmond was killed while riding as a passenger in a Dodge Avenger that crashed after a Virginia State Police pursuit. Driver Stephanie T. Morton, 46, and uninvolved driver Kenneth Crosby Jr., 61, were also killed.

At approximately 4:33 p.m., a Virginia State Police trooper attempted to stop the Dodge on northbound Interstate 95 near mile marker 127 in Spotsylvania County for traveling 80 mph in a posted 65 mph zone. Morton continued away and the trooper pursued.

The trooper terminated the pursuit approximately two minutes later because of heavy traffic. Morton continued north using the left shoulder. Troopers positioned farther north subsequently encountered the Dodge and initiated another pursuit when traffic conditions were lighter.

Morton reached speeds of approximately 100 mph before entering the I-95 Express Lanes by crashing through three illuminated warning gates. The lanes were carrying southbound traffic, placing the Dodge in the wrong direction against approaching vehicles. State police did not follow the Dodge into the Express Lanes.

Near mile marker 155 in Prince William County, the Dodge struck Crosby's southbound Ford Ranger head-on. The impact sent the Ranger over a guardrail. Two other southbound vehicles subsequently collided with the Dodge, which caught fire.

Porter was ejected from the Dodge and died at the scene. Morton also died at the scene. Crosby was killed in the head-on collision. Other people involved in the multi-vehicle crash sustained injuries.

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/