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Three people, one of them local, lost their lives in two separate crashes on Interstate 81 over the weekend.
The first, a single-vehicle accident, is believed to have occurred at approximately 1 a.m. Saturday near mile maker 177 just north of the southern Natural Bridge exit.
Virginia State Police report that a 1996 Jeep Cherokee ran off the right side of the roadway and down an embankment, striking several trees.
The driver of the Jeep was identified as Daniel Lee Sanderson, 40, of Rockbridge County. Sanderson was not wearing his seatbelt and died at the scene.
The crash was discovered by a highway safety service patrol early Saturday afternoon. The crash remains under investigation.
Shortly after that accident was reported to the Virginia State Police, troopers and first responders responded to a two-vehicle crash in the northern part of the county, at mile maker 193 just south of the Timber Ridge exit.
The crash, which occurred at 2:49 p.m. Saturday, resulted in two fatalities.
According to the state police, a 2023 Chrysler Pacifica was traveling northbound in the right lane and a 2017 Subaru Crosstrek was traveling northbound in the left lane, when the both vehicles attempted to change lanes, striking each other.
One of the passengers in the Chrysler, Donna Diane Reinikka, 92, of Coatesville, Pa., was wearing her seatbelt and died at the scene. A second passenger, Everett Arnold Reinikka, 91, also of Coatesville, was wearing his seatbelt and was transported to Carilion Rockbridge Community Hospital where he later died.
The crash remains under investigation.
