Skip to main content

Fiery Beltway crash kills 1 in Fairfax County, survivor faces DWI charge

By Valerie Bonk

One person died and another was charged with driving while intoxicated after a fiery crash on Interstate 495 in Fairfax County, Virginia, early Sunday.

Nearby stories

Virginia State Police said the two-vehicle crash happened shortly before 2:30 a.m. on northbound I-495, south of Braddock Road.

When troopers arrived, a Toyota Camry was engulfed in flames and a BMW with significant front-end damage.

The Camry’s driver died at the scene, police said.

The BMW driver was transported to a hospital with serious injuries and was charged with driving while intoxicated.

Police said the crash remains under investigation.

A map of the area is below.

CLICK MAP TO ENLARGE. (Courtesy Google Maps)

Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

© 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

Breaking the silence around suicide: A Virginia mother shares thoughts on prevention

By Kate Ryan
September is Suicide Prevention Month, and Betsy Stephenson, an Alexandria, Virginia, resident and a mother who lost her son to suicide, wants people to talk about it. "By not talking about suicide, we are not going to make it go away. In fact, I think that we could inadvertently give it a little more power than it deserves," she told WTOP. One of the things that Stephenson wants families to know is that people who are struggling can appear to be doing well. "You can be very high-functioning as a depressed person or an anxious person," she said. "You can be connected socially. You can be doing well at school or work. You can be making plans, smiling, laughing, engaged, but still be struggling deeply, you know, cosmically, inside."
Read Next Story

Nearby stories

Helicopter flies over small private planes on an airport tarmac.
Virginia
Washington Manassas Airport cleared to offer commercial airline flights
August 31, 2026
Helicopter flies over small private planes on an airport tarmac.

Washington Manassas Airport cleared to offer commercial airline flights

Students at Grace Hopper Center

Arlington students head back to class, with some going to a new state-of-the-art high school