Charges likely in fatal Wrecker wreck
The driver of a Charlottesville Wrecker Service tow truck may soon face felony charges for his role in a recent accident that killed a young Culpeper couple and left a third man lingering in a coma six weeks later, his family unsure whether he'll ever awaken.
The accident happened Saturday, September 1, a day that should have marked the first page in a happy chapter for 19-year-old Victoria "Tori" Burke and her husband, 22-year-old Joshua Burke. The young couple– parents of a newborn daughter– had just signed a lease on a new apartment in Culpeper and had borrowed a pick-up truck from Joshua's father to begin moving in. A friend had offered to help them that Labor Day weekend, and the three were on route to pick up the Burkes' belongings.
The day that started with the promise of a new home ended that afternoon in tragedy. As Joshua Burke turned left
from Alanthus Road onto Route 29 in Culpeper at approximately 2pm, the pickup was struck by a tow truck traveling north on 29 and pulling a small box truck. According to state trooper Jennifer "J.K." Hathaway, 54-year-old Charlottesville Wrecker driver Alvin Randall Thompson ran the red light and struck the Burkes' pickup. Tori and Josh Burke were killed instantly inside the truck; their friend, 22-year-old Culpeper resident John Lizotte, was thrown from the vehicle into the median and remains hospitalized at Fairfax Inova Hospital in a coma. None of the three was wearing a seatbelt.
Thompson, who was wearing a seatbelt, was uninjured. While he was originally charged with failure to obey a traffic signal, that misdemeanor infraction was dropped soon after– but his legal troubles may be just beginning.
"We're going to go forward with a more serious charge," says Hathaway, who says that Culpeper Commonwealth's Attorney Gary Close is determining what charges to bring. Close did not return the Hook's calls.
Hathaway estimates Thompson was traveling approximately 55mph when he went through the light– 5mph below the posted limit of 60mph, but 10mph above the recommended 45mph limit at the intersection, where Route 29 has two turn lanes in addition to the two northbound and two southbound lanes.
Hathaway says Thompson, who lives in Crozet, was not intoxicated, and that he was "very upset" at the scene. Calls to a phone listed for A.R. Thompson were not answered, and he could not be located for comment.
Charlottesville Wrecker owner Grant Cosner says Thompson has been a reliable driver for the company for approximately 10 years, has a Class A commercial license, and has not had other driving infractions. Currently Thompson is not driving for the company.
"He is beyond distraught," says Cosner, who believes that once all evidence is reviewed, Thompson will be acquitted of wrongdoing. "We don't believe he ran that red light," Cosner says, though he declines to discuss details of the case or evidence that exonerates Thompson.
Though no civil suits have yet been filed, the families of the victims have retained counsel and are considering civil action against Thompson and Charlottesville Wrecker.
Culpeper attorney Edwin Gentry, representing the family of Joshua Burke, says Joshua was determined to support his new family. Working as an electrician at the same company as his father, he had nearly completed the 400 hours of training to become an electrician "journeyman," a designation that allows state licensure.
Tori Burke's parents, Sandy and Kim Gouldman of King George, did not return the Hook's call for comment. According to Gentry, the couple's now four-month-old baby girl is in the care of relatives.
Lizotte, who suffered a severe head injury, has been in a coma since the accident. Reached in her son's Fairfax hospital room, Lizotte's mother, Janet Smoot, declined to comment. Her attorney, Fredericksburg-based Edward Allen, says doctors don't know if Lizotte, who worked in landscaping and enjoyed a close relationship with his family, will awaken or if he will survive.
Trooper Hathaway believes charges against Thompson will be announced in the next several weeks.
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6 comments
Thank you to everyone for your prayers and love. With God leading us through this devastation we will survive. Tori and Josh are missed very,very much. We have been blessed to have their beautiful daughter Lexi to carry both families. We ask that you continue to lift all three families up. Also, please prat for the Thompson family. Mr. Thompson no doubt will relieve this nightmare for the rest of his life.
such an unfortunate turn of events for the young couple and their passenger. i travel up and down 29 several times a week and am cognizant of the number of accidents that occur at this particular intersection. there are intersection signs prior to brandy station but no
"recommended" 45mph limit is suggested at that particular intersection. only a flashing light over a "signal sign". not that anyone pays attention to the 45 mph signs...but i do, and slow down whenever i see an intersection sign on 29. too many incidents due to excessive speed.
i feel for the driver of the wrecker and the guilt he must be experiencing for killing 2 and putting another in a coma but was appalled when i read that he was only cited for failure to obey a signal. and to have those charges dropped???? his light had been red long enough for another vehicle to pass over prior to the one broadsided. no excuse in my estimation.
he was in control of a lethal weapon and failed to pay attention. all he had to do was slow down when he saw the intersection sign and it would have prevented the loss of two lives that had never really begun, another life in limbo and the tragedy of a baby girl who will never know her parents.
suzi grant
I think that people should think about what they say before they say it. It is obvious that Mr. Thompson is upset and worried about what the future holds for him. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers as well as the families of those that were injured.
I would just like to say that the light was RED no matter what Mr. Cosner believes. He was not at the light at the time of the accident as many witnesses were that will tell you that the vehicle the Burke's and John were in was the second crossing over the intersection, clearly telling you the light for Mr. Thompson was RED and had been RED. He will not get away with this. There is a 4 month old baby without her mommy and daddy. Also, John who remains in a coma.
It's a tragedy for all involved: the wrecker driver, the young couple, the friend, and the young daughter. As the ones that are alive and driving everyday, we need to learn lessons.
None of the passengers were wearing seatbelts which could have saved lives. The wrecker driver could have slowed down early to avoid hitting red lights. The trasportation authority can add more warning system to alert drivers of approaching signals. There could be a little better design of RED-Green transitions...
Ling,
Unless you know exactly what happened you have no right to say anything bout these indivduals wearing seat belts. Thats so irrelavant. Mr. Thompson ran the red light hitting the Burke's vehicle at 55 mph....he could have slowed down and should have because there are warnings before the light. John actually not having his seat belt on and being thrown from the vehicle is probably what saved his life. He should have never assumed the light was green. Don't judge unless you know what happened.