HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — A 51-year-old man from Isle of Wight County died in a tragic accident on Interstate 295 in Henrico County on the evening of January 13. Authorities believe the man may have suffered a heart attack, which led to a crash involving his tractor-trailer.
The incident occurred just before 7:15 p.m. when Virginia State Police were called to I-295 North near Varina Road for a report of a jack-knifed tractor-trailer. Upon arrival, emergency medical personnel with the Henrico County Division of Fire were found performing CPR on the driver, later identified as Jonathan Beale.
Investigators suspect that Beale, who was operating the tractor-trailer at the time, experienced a heart attack, which caused him to lose control of the vehicle. Despite extensive efforts by first responders, Beale was unable to be revived and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Virginia State Police have stated that while the cause of death has not yet been officially confirmed, initial indications point to the heart attack as the likely cause of the crash. The tractor-trailer itself sustained only minor damage, and fortunately, no other vehicles were involved in the incident.
Following the crash, all northbound lanes of I-295 were closed for a period of time as emergency crews worked to clear the scene. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident remains ongoing.
Beale’s sudden death has left the community mourning, and Virginia State Police continue to review the details of the crash in order to finalize their findings.
