WASHINGTON — Police in Virginia spent hours searching the woods in Gainesville for a driver who fled the scene after crashing his vehicle. The driver was later located in Fauquier County, but Fairfax County police released video of the search from the air using heat-seeking technology.
See the video from Fairfax County police:
Just before 3 a.m. Monday, the driver of a 2001 Toyota 4Runner crashed while driving north on James Madison Highway, police said. One passenger was injured and one was killed when the driver lost control of the SUV.
“We do believe speed and alcohol are factors in the collision. The vehicle left the roadway and rolled a couple times. The back passenger was ejected and killed at the scene,” said Sgt. Jonathan Perok with Prince William County police.
Jose Nelvin Romero Maldonado, 38, of Warrenton, Virginia, was in the backseat and not wearing his seat belt. He was ejected from the vehicle and killed.
The 30-year-old passenger in the front seat was buckled in and survived. He was treated and released from the hospital.
The driver, later identified as Vicente Martir Vides Vasquez, 21, of Warrenton, Virginia, was found by Fauquier County sheriff’s deputies many hours later around 1:30 p.m. He was walking down a road in Fauquier County.
Prince William County police used K-9s and a Fairfax County police helicopter that used heat-seeking technology to search for the driver.
Vasquez has been arrested and faces multiple charges, including involuntary manslaughter and driving without a license.
Prince William County police believe the men knew each other. It is still unclear what their relationship with each other was or if they are related.
Below is the area where the crash happened.
