US 50 crash in Fairfax turns fatal; lanes reopen

A pedestrian involved in a two-vehicle crash on U.S. 50 early Tuesday has died, Fairfax County police say, amid a morning of multiple traffic incidents across the D.C. region.

Fairfax County police said the pedestrian — identified as 63-year-old Ralph Johnson, of Reston, Virginia — was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries around 6 a.m. He was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

Detectives believe Johnson was trying to cross Lee Jackson Memorial Highway near Alder Woods Drive. He didn’t use a crosswalk, and was hit by a 2017 Toyota Highlander that was traveling west.

The driver remained on the scene and is cooperating with detectives in the crash investigation.

Police said neither speed nor alcohol were factors for the driver, but detectives believe Johnson may have been under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash.

Westbound lanes of U.S. 50 reopened around 9 a.m. Tuesday between Fair Ridge Drive and the Fairfax County Parkway, after several hours of traffic being diverted for a crash investigation.


For the latest road and traffic conditions, see WTOP’s traffic page.


Overturned truck on I-270

An overturned box truck on Interstate 270 in Urbana, Maryland, led to a six-mile traffic backup in the overnight hours before Tuesday’s commute.

Aerial images from NBC Washington showed a truck halfway off the road in the southbound lanes of I-270 at Exit 26. Crews worked to clean up what appeared to be spilled cargo.

All lanes had reopened by 7 a.m.

Vehicle overturns on Suitland Parkway

Another vehicle overturned on the Suitland Parkway in Southeast D.C. around 6 a.m. past Stanton Road.

Lanes reopened after 7 a.m.

WTOP’s Neal Augenstein reported from Fair Oaks, Virginia.

Alejandro Alvarez

Alejandro Alvarez joined WTOP as a digital journalist and editor in June 2018. He is a reporter and photographer focusing on politics, political activism and international affairs.

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