Two Injured after Wrong-Way Driver Collision on I-66

A uniformed Secret Service officer noticed a vehicle traveling the wrong way in Northern Virginia, just outside of Washington D.C., at approximately 4:30am. The driver failed to stop for the officer on I Street NW in Washington when they tried to pull them over. The suspect continued driving in the wrong direction onto I-66 eastbound when they crashed head-on with a car headed east, injuring their passenger and the other driver. Allegedly, the driver ran away.

As reported by NBC Washington, both injured parties were taken to a hospital with not life threatening injuries. The passenger in the vehicle traveling the wrong way was taken into police custody after receiving treatment for their injuries.

The lanes were closed on I-66 at Lee Highway near Rosslyn after the crash. Traffic was diverted temporarily and the lanes were reopened around 7am.

According to the Secret Service, neither White House security nor anyone protected by the agency was affected by the crash. However, an alternate source (Fox 5 DC News), stated that one of the drivers in the crash was a “White House military pass holder.”

The driver was identified as 28-year-old Victor Ebai of Springfield, Virginia. The Arlington County Police Department has obtained warrants for him for felony hit-and-run and felony eluding.

Although not saying why they were on scene, the Secret Service agency later said that their personnel helped secure the scene after the crash. The investigation was then handed over to Arlington County Police. Virginia State Police also assisted at the scene of the crash.

According to PHMP Law, “One of the most common forms of personal injury result from auto accidents on roads, highways and interstate.” In most cases, determining the at fault party in an accident requires careful investigation and understanding of all information gathered at the accident scene.

A general expectation of law enforcement is for drivers to exercise reasonable care based on the current circumstances, including weather, traffic congestion, road conditions and the time of day. One person’s failure to drive appropriately based on the current conditions could cause them to be found the negligent party in an accident.

If found negligent, an individual is typically expected to pay for any damages inflicted on others, both to their property and to their person. However, the injured party does have a duty to show that the negligence was sufficient enough to be the closest possible cause of the injuries received.

Although driving the wrong way down a one-way street may seem like obvious negligence, charges can be disputed if the sign was not visible or there was another logical reason for the action. According to Traffic Violation Law Firms, fines for driving the wrong way down a one-way street can be in the area of $100-$120, however additional offenses can inflate those fines.