Wytheville woman dies in crash early today on I-81

At 11:11 a.m., Monday (July 16) Virginia State Police Trooper D.D. Dunford responded to a two-vehicle crash in Wythe County.

A 2014 Chevrolet Equinox was northbound on Interstate 81 when it ran off the left side of the highway and struck the guardrail. The Equinox then crossed back into the northbound lanes and struck a northbound 2005 Chevrolet Silverado that was towing a horse trailer. The impact of that crash sent both vehicles off the right side of I-81, through the guardrail, down an embankment and into a ditch.

The driver of the Equinox, Danielle M. Reeves, 25, of Wytheville, Va., died at the scene. She was not wearing a seat belt. Two 5-year-old female passengers and a 3-year-old female passenger were flown to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

The 36-year-old male driver of the Silverado and his wife were transported to Wythe County Community Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. Both were wearing seat belts. The couple is from Maryland. The horse they were transporting in the trailer did not survive the crash and died at the scene.

The crash remains under investigation.