by Ashlyn Brotemarkle Obituary, Death – There has been a rise in the number of people demanding that a certain stretch of road in Fairfax County be fixed after two teenagers were killed there in a crash. A new petition for more safety along Lee Chapel Road had nearly 4,000 signatures by the time Thursday night rolled around. The campaign was established online by two residents of the neighborhood. The route has been a source of concern for the neighborhood for a number of years, according to the neighbors. According to the petition, “You would expect that they would keep the road in high operating condition owing to the significant volume of traffic, yet local residents have been complaining about the safety of this route for years now.” On Tuesday, two young people were killed after the vehicle they were traveling in slid over a hill in the Fairfax Station area, as reported by the Fairfax County Police. According to the findings of the investigation, the driver apparently lost control of the vehicle, drove off the roadway, and eventually came to rest with the vehicle on its top. According to the detectives, alcohol was not a factor in the incident; rather, they believe speed was. A third passenger sustained injuries that were considered to be life-threatening and was rushed to the hospital. Authorities have not provided any information that is current regarding the situation. Although the identities of the two students who were killed have not been made public by the authorities, the fact that they attended South County High School in Lorton has been verified by their friends and families.
Friends were able to determine that one of the females was Ashlyn Brotemarkle, who is 16 years old. Abby Beverly, who had been her best friend for almost six years, told WUSA9 that “she was a fantastic buddy.” “She was always there for her pals and did anything they needed.” Since 2013, the number of collisions and injuries that have occurred along the length of road that is four miles long has fluctuated throughout the years. According to the data provided by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, there have been more than 200 collisions and 123 people have been injured in the past ten years. Prior to this week, there have been three fatalities, one of which occurred in 2015 when 19-year-old Dilbar Noory lost control of his vehicle and died while traveling over the same hill. WUSA9 was informed by Noory’s family that they have always been concerned about Lee Chapel Road. The blind slope is located on a narrow road that does not have any shoulders, which might be dangerous.
Tracy Winward, a nearby resident, is quoted as saying that she does not believe there is anyone who has grown up or lived in this neighborhood who does not know someone who has been affected by an accident or fatality there. “Even if you are the most ideal driver in the world, it’s a risky circumstance and there’s no room for error at all,” the person said. “If someone is coming on the other side too quickly or not familiar, it’s an unsafe position.” The Springfield District Supervisor, Pat Herrity, has submitted a request to have the road inspected by authorities from the Virginia Department of Highways as well as the transportation department for the area. He also requested that temporary fixes be implemented. Herrity asserted that he has been working since 2015 to secure funding for and improve Lee Chapel Road. The planned project is currently categorized as an unfunded project in the project database.
Unfortunately, Herrity warned that “some incidence like this could be required to get sponsored.” Without a shadow of a doubt, the hills need to be flattened off, the road needs to be widened to accommodate four lanes, and a curb and gutter should be installed.
