Driver charged with DUI in deadly Hanover wreck - NBC12.com - Richmond, VA News

The Hanover County Sheriff's Office has charged 56-year old Richard Lawrence in connection to Saturday night's fatal crash on Pole Green road.

The passenger in Lawrence's car died at VCU Medical Center. The victims from the other car are now recovering at home. Lawrence now faces DUI charges.

We talked with the friend of a witness who said that once he saw the crash, his fatherly instincts kicked in, and he ran to help.

The smell of fuel and fire still fill the air hours after a wreck shut down a busy road in Mechanicsville.

Police say Richard Lawrence, the driver of the red SAAB, hit a Chevy Trailblazer head-on, killing the passenger in his car.

An an employee who works at the gas station nearby says one of her customers actually saw the wreck. He saw the man driving the red SAAB fighting another man outside their cars at the intersection of Lee Davis and Pole Green roads.

She says they were stopped at a red light.

"It turned green and they didn't proceed," said Pat Gibson. "Cars were having to go around them."

So did the patron because they were blocking traffic. She says Lawrence finally pulled off. Her customer saw the wreck in his rear-view mirror.

A couple hundred yards down, she says Lawrence crossed the center line and hit a car with a woman and three children inside.

"They said it was just a mess," Gibson added.

The SAAB caught on fire. Smoke was still peaking through all the flashing lights Saturday night. Gibson says the man tried rescuing people from the SAAB. He immediately rushed to the SUV when he heard children screaming.

"He said he didn't get any sleep last night," Gibson noted.

The kids and the woman inside were rushed to the hospital. The woman in the passengers seat of the SAAB died at the hospital.

Gibson says the man has kids of his own and that his instincts kicked when he realized that there were children in involved in the wreck.

The Hanover County Sheriff's Office says that the children involved in the crash are ages two, six, and seven. They're doing fine.

Deputies are still asking for witnesses or people who know anything to call them at: 365-6140.

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