Trooper Nathan-Michael W. Smith (Photo: Virginia State Police)
Prince George County, Va. -- A Virginia State Trooper was killed when his patrol car flipped into the woods and ran into trees, WTVR reports.
The trooper, 27-year-old Nathan-Michael W. Smith of Henrico, lost control of his cruiser on the ramp from Interstate 295 south to Interstate 95 north in Prince George County.
He was responding to a fatal crash around 7:20 a.m. on Monday morning.
"Virginia State Police responded to a single-vehicle crash on Route 460 in Dinwiddie County. A 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck was traveling east on Route 460, near Airport Street, when it ran off the right side of the road and struck the guardrail. The adult male driver was transported to Southside Regional Medical Center, where he died later Monday morning," Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said.
Trooper Smith took the I-295 south exit ramp to I-95 north in Prince George County.
His cruiser ran off the left side of the ramp, overturned onto its side and ran into several trees before stopping in the woods.
The trooper was cut out of his patrol car and taken to VCU Medical Center, where he later died.
The ramp from Interstate 295 south to Interstate 95 north in Prince George County was closed for investigation and clean-up.
Smith was a Suffolk native and graduated from Nansemond River High School.
Trooper Smith also went to Norfolk State University and was a member of the Spartan Legion Marching Band.
The crash remains under investigation.
If you would like to make a donation, contributions can be made to the Virginia State Police Association Emergency Relief Fund. Make checks payable to the VSPA-ERF and notate. "Smith" on the memo line of your check. Mail to VSPA. 6944 Forest Hill Ave., Richmond, VA, 23225. Also, if anyone would like to make an online contribution through Paypal. Visit www.vspa.org and click on Emergency Relief Fund. It is important to put "Smith" in the note section of your Paypal contribution.
