Virginia State Trooper Dies After Cruiser Crash
Source Officer.com News
A Virginia State Police trooper died Monday morning after his cruiser was involved in a single-vehicle wreck while responding to a call.
Trooper Nathan-Michael W. Smith was en route to what he believed to be a fellow trooper in distress around 7:20 a.m. when his Ford Taurus patrol car ran off the left side of the I-295 south exit ramp to I-95 north in Prince George County.
Smith's cruiser overturned onto its side and struck several trees before coming to rest.
The 27-year-old trooper was extricated from his vehicle and was flown to VCU Medical Center where he later died that morning.
Officials said that one of the troopers at the crash on Route 460 that Smith was responding to radioed to the state police Richomd Division to request a rescue. When troopers in the area received the request, they understood that it meant there was a trooper in distress and immediately responded to the scene.
It was later determined that while the troopers believed the initial radio call as a citizen administering CPR to a trooper, it was in fact a trooper and citizen administering CPR to the driver of the pickup truck who later died.
The Virginia State Police Richmond Division Crash Reconstruction Team is investigating the crash, which remains under investigation.
Smith was assigned to the Richmond Division Area 7 Office and graduated from the academy on June 6, 2014. He is survived by his parents, his wife and two children.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
Officer.com will provide more information on this story as it becomes available.
Paul Peluso | Editor
Paul Peluso is the Managing Editor of OFFICER Magazine and has been with the Officer Media Group since 2006. He began as an Associate Editor, writing and editing content for Officer.com. Previously, Paul worked as a reporter for several newspapers in the suburbs of Baltimore, MD.
