6 people killed in Virginia Labor Day weekend car crashes; more than half were kids

Virginia State Police has announced that nobody will be charged after a two-car crash in Sussex County caused the death of an 11-year-old girl Sunday. (Photo: Virginia State Police)

State Police said juveniles accounted for more than half of the deaths

by: Kassidy Hammond

Posted: Sep 8, 2022 / 04:35 PM EDT

Updated: Sep 8, 2022 / 04:35 PM EDT

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC/WAVY) — Six people were killed in car crashes in Virginia over the Labor Day holiday weekend, and according to Virginia State Police, more than half were children.

While the number is a reduction from Labor Day 2021, state police said that “there was still an alarming number of deaths among young people and pedestrians.” Of the six people killed over the 2022 weekend, four were juveniles and two were pedestrians.

The ages of those killed in vehicle crashes included a 6-year-old boy ,an 11-year-old girl, a 17-year-old girl, and a 57-year-old man.

The 11-year-old from Prince George County was killed in a crash in Sussex County. She was a backset passenger and was wearing her seatbelt at the time of the crash.

According to State Police, the other three people killed in vehicles over the holiday were not wearing a seatbelt.

“While the reduction in traffic deaths is encouraging, six families still lost loved ones this past weekend,” said Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent. “Four of those tragically lost were young people with a full life ahead of them, and two of those children were not wearing a seatbelt or safely secured in a child safety restraint. I implore all Virginians to wear their seatbelts and require all those riding with you to do the same.”

The 17-year-old was a Patrick Henry High School student from Hanover, Amanda McGruder. She was killed just one day before the start of her senior year.

A 7-year-old girl and a 85-year-old man were pedestrians who were killed.

The crashes occurred in Hanover, Henry, Pittsylvania, Shenandoah and Sussex Counties, along with the city of Norfolk. During the weekend, State Police said officers responded to a total of 772 traffic crashes.

During the weekend, Virginia State Police performed the annual Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over program–formerly known as ‘Checkpoint Strikeforce — from Friday, Sept. 2 through Monday, Sept. 5.