Charges are pending in a crash in Nelson County on Route 29 in Nelson County on Christmas Eve that claimed the life of an 8-year-old girl.
A 2012 Honda Odyssey minivan being driven by Michael E. Mack, 44, of Taylorsville N.C., was traveling north on Route 29 around 6 p.m. when it struck a deer in the travel lane. The crash investigation has determined that the Honda abruptly stopped due to the impact with the deer.
A tractor-trailer traveling behind the minivan was unable to stop in time and rear-ended the minivan.
Mack was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of minor injuries. He was wearing a seatbelt. There were four passengers riding in the minivan at the time of the crash:
- Shelly K. Mack, 44, of Taylorsville, N.C., was wearing a seatbelt and was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
- 8-year-old female passenger, who was wearing a seatbelt, was transported to UVA Medical Center, where she succumbed to her injuries on Christmas Day.
- 4-year-old male passenger, who was secured in a child safety seat, was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of serious injuries.
- 6-year-old male passenger, who was secured in a booster seat, was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
The driver of the tractor-trailer, Hugh D. Powell, 62, of New Britain, Conn., was treated at the scene for minor injuries. He was wearing a seatbelt. The tractor-trailer was loaded with 42,000 lbs. of paper.