Police say speed contributed to a young man’s death in a motorcycle crash Saturday in the Mount Vernon area of Fairfax County. He, another motorcyclist and a Camaro driver “rapidly accelerated” when a traffic light turned from red to green, police said.
Travis West, of Portsmouth, died after the fiery crash at about 10:15 a.m. on Jeff Todd Way, just outside Fort Belvoir. He was 20, county police said Sunday.
According to a preliminary investigation, West, riding a 2018 Ducati sport bike, was stopped at a traffic light along with the operator of a 2019 Kawasaki sport bike and the driver of a 2019 Chevrolet Camaro. When the light at Jeff Todd Way and Route 1 turned green, they each “rapidly accelerated,” headed west.
The motorcyclists each tried to pass the driver of a 2013 Acura TL. West crashed into the side of the Acura and then the back of a stopped Fairfax County Connector bus, police said. The motorcycle and rear of the bus burst into flames. Photos show a cloud of black smoke over the area, at Mill Towns Court.
We're making it easier for you to find stories that matter with our new newsletter — The 4Front. Sign up here and get news that is important for you to your inbox.
The operator of the Kawasaki lost control, slamming the bike onto its side.
West and the second motorcycle rider were taken to a hospital, where West died. The other motorcyclist had injuries that were not life-threatening, police said.
The drivers of the Acura, Camaro and bus were uninjured, and there were no passengers on the bus. Jeff Todd Way was closed during the investigation.
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
County prosecutors will review the police investigation, police said.
Anyone with information on the crash is asked to contact police. Tips may be left anonymously. A reward of as much as $1,000 is available.
