THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, April 13, 1995 TAG: 9504130386
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MIKE MATHER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Short : 40 lines
Two men in a speeding pickup truck were killed early Wednesday when it ran off the right side of Holland Road near Kellam High School and struck trees.
The men were pinned inside nearly an hour. Rescue crews had to cut the crumpled 1975 Chevrolet away from the victims, and both died at Virginia Beach General Hospital of massive injuries, police said.
Alcohol and excessive speed contributed to the crash, police said. No other vehicles were involved.
Investigators identified the victims as:
Rodney Ryder, the 28-year-old driver who lived in the 900 block of Fern Ridge Road. He died around 3:30 a.m.
John R. Baker Jr., the 45-year-old passenger who lived in the 3500 block of Woodburne Drive. Baker died just before 3 a.m.
The crash happened just after midnight in the 2300 block of Holland Road.
Police said Ryder was exceeding the speed limit and lost control of the truck.
The truck caught fire with the men unconscious inside, but the blaze was extinguished. Rescue crews from several crash trucks then began cutting apart the pickup.
Police said the men were wearing seatbelts, but the older truck was equipped only with lap restraints.
The Nightingale medivac helicopter flew to nearby Kellam High School, but couldn't land because of poor visibility.
The deaths brought to seven the number of auto fatalities in the city this year.
Officer Dave Duty is investigating the accident.
KEYWORDS: ACCIDENT TRAFFIC FATALITIES ALCOHOL DRUNKEN DRIVING by CNB