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Virginia Legal News

Young Volunteer Firefighter Killed in Crash


Posted on Nov 14, 2008

A 17-year-old volunteer firefighter, who was a student at Spotswood High School, was killed last week in an early-morning crash.  He was on his way to his job as a volunteer firefighter when the accident took place.

Roy Dale Smith III, was traveling northbound on Island Ford Road near Elkton at 1:00 AM when he entered a curve, ran off the right side of the road, overcorrected and ran off the left side of the road.  His 1996 Isuzu Rodeo flipped several times and hit a power box.  Smith was not wearing his seatbelt at the time of the crash and was ejected from his vehicle.  He died at the scene of the accident, according to Sgt. Tyler of the Virginia State Police.

Tyler was quoted as saying that the “usage of seat belts may have prevented some of the injuries and possibly the death in this accident.”  He added that the investigation is ongoing, but it appears as though fog and speed may have played a factor in the crash.

Smith was responding to a call of a structure fire that rang into the McGaheysville Volunteer Fire Company, officials say.  He had been a volunteer firefighter with the department since October 2007 and had ambitions of becoming a professional firefighter one day. 

Mike Davis, an industrial cooperative training coordinator at Spotswood High, said that he would always remember Smith’s enthusiasm for firefighting and his commitment to helping others.  Smith would say that he wanted to become a firefighter to help people.

Tim Woodward, the principal at Spotswood High School, said that Smith was a model student who was a participant in many different activities.  He was the member of the Spotswood FFA, Skills USA Club and the industrial cooperative training program.  Smith also took firefighting classes at Massanutten Technical Center.

Students remember Smith as being a positive young adult who was polite and well-mannered.  He was very well liked.

 

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