Fatal Nighttime Hit-and-Run Crash in Mount Vernon

The hit-and-run crash site is near the Mount Vernon Crossroads Shopping Center on Richmond Highway in the Mount Vernon area of Fairfax County. 

On the evening of Sept. 23, 62-year-old Trina Jones of Alexandria was struck in a hit-and-run crash while she was crossing Richmond Highway at Belford Drive. Jones was subsequently struck a second time by a Fairfax County police officer responding to the scene. The location is just outside the Mount Vernon Crossroads Shopping Center in the Hybla Valley area of Fairfax County. 

Preliminary reports from Fairfax County  Police Department authorities indicate that a southbound driver in a black Mercedes C300 sedan is believed to have struck Jones and then fled the scene.

Jesse Katzman, the commander of public affairs for the FCPD, said during an on-site news conference at the crash location that evening that the victim, who appeared to be alone, was found lying in the roadway. Police were dispatched around 8:39 p.m. "When our officer approached the scene, he made contact with a pedestrian who was lying in the roadway.” At the time of the news conference, heavy rain was readily apparent.

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue responded and began performing lifesaving measures. Jones was transported to a hospital but was later pronounced deceased. 

Through their investigation, detectives were able to obtain a picture of the Mercedes involved in the initial crash. 

The FCPD has opened both criminal and administrative investigations into the officer's involvement. The officer involved in the crash has been identified as a two-year veteran assigned to the Mount Vernon Patrol District. As department policy, the officer has been placed on restricted duty status pending the outcome of the investigation.

Katzman explained that the investigation encompasses both the hit-and-run and critical incident aspects because an officer is involved. He also stated that body-worn camera footage and in-car video will be reviewed to gather more information about the incident.

According to FCPD General Order 303 (Criminal Investigations of Department Employees), the Major Crimes Bureau conducts the criminal investigation and presents the findings to the Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney's Office, led by Steve Descano. Concurrently, Internal Affairs handles the administrative review.

Detectives are searching for the driver of the hit-and-run vehicle. 

Contextual Statistics 

Drivers struck and killed 7,148 people walking in the United States in 2024, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association's latest report, "Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by State: 2024 Preliminary Data." Pedestrian deaths are increasing at a rate far faster than overall traffic fatalities. Between 2009 and 2023, pedestrian deaths rose 80%, while all other traffic fatalities increased 13%. More than three-quarters of pedestrian fatalities occur after dark. Fatal pedestrian crashes at night rose 84% between 2010 and 2023, compared to a 28% increase in daytime fatalities.

Trina Jones of Alexandria appears to be the seventh pedestrian crash death in Fairfax County, according to trends.virginia.gov. Trends reports 99 pedestrian-involved crashes with 114 injuries thus far this year as of Sept. 28 in Fairfax County, and an additional 11 crashes in Fairfax City with 14 injuries and three in Falls Church with eight injuries.

Other Pedestrian Crash Incidents

* Jan. 29, 2025: A fatal pedestrian crash occurred in Woodlawn. Erica Tibbs, 33, of Alexandria, and her 5-year-old child were crossing Richmond Highway from west to east while not in a crosswalk and were struck by the driver of the Chevrolet Suburban shortly before 8:34 p.m. Erica Tibbs died.

* Feb. 14, 2025: A fatal pedestrian crash occurred in Hutchison in the area of Centreville Road and Parcher Avenue just outside the Town of Herndon shortly before 2:55 p.m. The pedestrian, 67-year-old Norman Barazueta, was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead 12 days later, on Feb. 26, police say. Detectives believe Barazueta "stepped into the southbound lanes" of Centreville Road when the southbound driver of a 2024 Chevrolet Trax struck him.

* April 2, 2025: A fatal pedestrian crash occurred in the 7700 block of Route 29 near Merrifield. Preliminarily, Fairfax County Police said the driver of a Nissan cargo van was traveling west on Lee Highway when 87-year-old German Gomez of Falls Church stepped out into the driver's lane.

* July 8, 2025: A crash on the Dulles Toll Road near the Herndon/Chantilly exit killed a woman early Tuesday morning when a vehicle struck the pedestrian around 2 a.m.. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police did not publicly identify her. The driver of the vehicle stayed on the scene.