DATE: Monday, March 17, 1997                TAG: 9703170082

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B2   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Brief 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   29 lines

NORFOLK POLICE IDENTIFY MEN WHO DIED SATURDAY IN HOV-LANE ACCIDENT

Police on Sunday identified a Virginia Beach man and a Pennsylvania resident as the victims in Saturday's fatal HOV-lane accident on Interstate 64.

Despite eight gates barring entry to the HOV on-ramp near Military Highway, state police said Paul Wentz, 79, of Roaring Springs, Pa., drove his 1990 Oldsmobile in the wrong direction in the reversible HOV lane, which was open to eastbound traffic at the time.

He then collided head-on, police said, with a 1992 Oldsmobile driven by 29-year-old David M. Snowdy of Virginia Beach, killing both drivers.

State police said they believe Wentz had become disoriented and began driving westbound in the open eastbound lane when he met Snowdy head-on at the top of a small rise in the expressway. The collision occurred around 6:25 p.m. Saturday.

According to Tammy Van Dame, a spokeswoman for the state police, there were eight barriers erected to prevent motorists from entering the lane. Van Dame said she did not know how many barriers Wentz actually drove through. The barriers were reported repaired Sunday.

The two drivers were the only occupants of the cars involved in the accident. KEYWORDS: ACCIDENT TRAFFIC FATALITY HOV LANES

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