Jump to navigation Jump to content

Virginia Legal News

Four Deaths on Virginia 151 Prompted Change


Posted on Oct 27, 2008

Laura Cavedo and her two daughters, Elschen Strickler, 12, and Iliana Strickler, 9, were killed in a car accident on August 30, 2007 near the intersection of Virginia 151 and Virginia 635.  Thirty-three days later, another woman was fatally injured along Virginia 151 near the intersection of Route 840.  These unfortunate deaths made last year the deadliest year along this road in a decade.

Cavedo and her daughters were in the process of moving to their home in Crozet and were on their way back to their Greenfield home to pick up another load.  They were all wearing their seat belts.  Cavedo stopped on Virginia 151 and was waiting to turn onto Virginia 635, when a truck rear-ended her car, sending her into oncoming traffic.  Her two daughters were killed instantly when a van hit Cavedo’s car head-on.  Cavedo was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

The driver of the truck and the driver of the van were injured, but survived.  It was later found that the driver of the truck had fallen asleep behind the wheel.  He was charged with reckless driving.

The car crash that occurred thirty-three days later involved Gertrude Ann Johnson, 54, of Nellysford.  She was traveling on Virginia 151 near Virginia 840 with Betty Sanford, 63, of Greenfield, when a vehicle swerved into their lane and hit them head-on.  Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene. Sanford and the driver of the other vehicle were injured and taken to UVa Medical Center.  The driver was found guilty of improper driving and was fined.

Nelson County Sheriff David Brooks said that the 18-mile stretch of Virginia 151 in Nelson County, which extends from Virginia 833 and Brent’s Gap to U.S. 250 near Avon, is a residential road.  There are numerous businesses located along this highway.  It is also considered a scenic route and a tourist route to Wintergreen and Blue Ridge Mountains.  Brooks said that the road is deceptively dangerous if drivers aren’t paying attention.  According to Brooks, there are a lot of blind spots on 151.

The four deaths that occurred last year prompted lower speed limits, the organization of civic groups and increased enforcement of speed limit laws along Virginia 151.

Read More About Four Deaths on Virginia 151 Prompted Change...

back to top




Michael S. Weisberg, P.C.
112 College Place
Norfolk, VA 23510
Phone: (757) 622-7740
Fax: (757) 533-9223
Toll Free: (800) 690-0235
Email: info@weislaw.com
www.weislaw.com