Fatal Gainesville Crash: Police Arrest Driver

GAINESVILLE, VA — The driver of an SUV involved in a fatal Monday morning crash is facing criminal charges after fleeing from the accident, according to the Prince William County police. Vicente Martir Vides Vazquez, 21, of the 300 block of Jackson Street in Warrenton, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, hit and run causing death and driving without a license.

Vazquez fled the scene after his Toyota 4Runner flipped over as he was driving on James Madison Highway at around 2:30 a.m. Monday. Jose Nelvin Romero Maldonado, 38, of Warrenton, a passenger in the backseat, was killed after he was ejected from the vehicle. Maldonado was not wearing a seat belt, the police said.

The Prince William police responded to the scene at 2:42 a.m. and searched for the driver around the Gainesville area with a K-9 (police dog) team and a Fairfax County police helicopter with heat-seeking equipment. At about 1 p.m., deputies with the Fauquier County Sheriff's Office spotted Vazquez walking along a roadway and detained him without incident.

Speed and alcohol played a role in Monday's accident, the Prince William police said. The SUV's front-seat passenger, a 30-year-old Warrenton man, sustained minor injuries and was treated at a local hospital.

Vazquez is being held without bond in the Prince William-Manassas regional jail, and his next date in court is March 20.

Images: Patch; Vicente Martir Vides Vazquez (PWCPD)