Smyth County school resource officer dead in Interstate 81 crash early Saturday morning

A school resource officer in Smyth County is dead after an early morning crash on Interstate 81 this morning.

Earnest Atwell Jr., 60, of Atkins, was ejected from the vehicle and died from his injuries. He was an officer with the Smyth County Sheriff’s Office.

Virginia State Police is investigating the fatal single vehicle crash that occurred at approximately 3:06 a.m. on I-81 at the 45-mile marker in Smyth County.

Atwell’s Ford F-150 truck was travelling northbound on the interstate when it went off of the left side of the road, into the median and down a steep, rocky embankment.  The vehicle then overturned and came to rest on the southbound side of the median.

The crash remains under investigation.