Update Saturday 8:30 a.m.: Virginia State Police have released the identities of two drivers killed following a crash at the intersection of Monticello Avenue and Ironbound Road Friday evening.
Police have identified Leon W. Cowles Jr., 40, of Williamsburg, as one of the people killed in the crash, who died at the scene. An 8-year-old passenger and 10-year-old passenger were transported to Riverside Regional Hospital in Newport News for treatment of serious but non-life threatening injuries, said State Police Spokeswoman Corinne Geller.
A second victim has been identified as Hamed Kamel Juma, 58, of Williamsburg, who also died at the scene. His wife and two children were transported to Riverside Regional Hospital for treatment of serious injuries, Geller said.
Preliminary investigation revealed a three-vehicle crash occurred at the Williamsburg and James City County line around 8:53 p.m. Friday.
Police say Cowles was driving a 2011 Dodge Avenger and traveling west on Monticello Avenue at a high rate of speed when he it entered the intersection at Ironbound Road and struck the side of a 2005 Toyota Sienna van driven by Juma.
Police believe Cowles was fleeing a City of Williamsburg Police officer, who had attempted to initiate a traffic stop related to an earlier incident, Geller said.
The Toyota van was traveling south on Ironbound Road at the time of the crash, Geller said. The impact of that crash caused one of the vehicles to hit another vehicle, a 2005 Mercedes Benz, that was also headed southbound on Ironbound Road.
The driver of the Mercedes, a 62-year-old Williamsburg man, was transported to Riverside Regional Hospital for treatment of serious, but non-life threatening injuries, Geller said.
Cowles was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, but the two children in the vehicle were both wearing seatbelts. Juma and his passengers in the Toyota van were wearing seatbelts, Geller said.
Geller did not say whether alcohol was believed to be a factor in the crash.
The crash was still under State Police investigation Saturday morning.
Original story: A fatal crash shut down the intersection of Monticello Avenue and Ironbound Road Friday evening.
According to Virginia State Police, there were at least two confirmed fatalities as of 11 p.m. Friday.
Spokeswoman Corinne Geller said State Police responded a three-vehicle crash at the Williamsburg and James City County line around 8:53 p.m. The crash occurred at the intersection of Ironbound Road and Monticello Avenue. She added that State Police were continuing to investigate the cause of the crash.
Witnesses reported fire and police units were on scene and at least two vehicles were located in the median of the intersection.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
