Crime & Safety
Fairfax Driver Charged After Police Say Cell Phone Use Led To Fatal Parkway Crash
Fairfax police charged a 20-year-old Fairfax woman after determining cellphone use caused a fatal pedestrian crash near Fair Oaks.
FAIR OAKS, VA — A Fairfax woman has been charged in connection with a fatal pedestrian crash that left a 50-year-old man dead along Fairfax County Parkway near Fair Oaks in December 2025, according to Fairfax County police.
Detectives with the Fairfax County Police Department's Crash Reconstruction Unit announced Friday that they have charged Shaza Edris, 20, of Fairfax, with reckless driving following the Dec. 23, 2025, crash that killed 50-year-old Jimmy Patterson.
Patterson's body was discovered in the grassy median of Fairfax County Parkway near Old Plains Road after officers responded around 9:45 a.m. to reports of an unresponsive man. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators later determined Patterson had been struck by a vehicle traveling on Fairfax County Parkway.
Find out what's happening in Fairfax Cityfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The incident initially prompted a death investigation after Patterson's body was found in the median. During the investigation, the driver of the vehicle returned to the scene and cooperated with investigators. At the time, police said alcohol did not appear to be a factor and continued investigating whether speed contributed to the crash.
Cellphone Use Led To Charge
According to police, detectives later determined Edris was actively using her cell phone when she struck Patterson. Based on the findings of the investigation, she was charged with reckless driving. Police did not announce an arrest or provide additional details about the circumstances of the charge.
Find out what's happening in Fairfax Cityfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The fatal crash occurred near the same location where Patch previously reported the discovery of Patterson's body in the Fairfax County Parkway median while investigators worked to determine what had happened.
Edris has a preliminary hearing scheduled for 2 p.m. on Aug. 24 in Fairfax County General District Court, according to court records.
If Edris is convicted on the reckless driving charge, which is a Class 5 felony, she faces a potential sentence of one to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $2,500, under Virginia law.
The investigation has been completed, according to Friday's update from Fairfax County police.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
