A reported blood alcohol concentration of .17 percent is now at the center of a deadly Interstate 95 crash that killed a mother and her young child in Stafford County, Virginia. The driver accused of causing the collision, 25-year-old Malik Jeremiah Thomas, of Fredericksburg, was identified as an active-duty Marine and now faces two counts of aggravated involuntary manslaughter.
The crash happened at approximately 1:53 a.m. Friday, November 6, on northbound I-95 near mile marker 141. According to Virginia State Police, Thomas was driving a Dodge Charger at a high rate of speed when he struck the back of a Nissan Rogue carrying a family.
The collision sent the Nissan Rogue off the left side of the interstate before it overturned. An adult woman riding in the SUV died at the scene. Her young child, who was under the age of 5, was rushed to a nearby hospital but later died from the injuries.
The SUV’s driver also suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to a hospital. Stafford County Commonwealth’s Attorney Eric Olsen later confirmed that the injured driver was the woman’s husband and the child’s father. The family lived in Stafford County.
Thomas was not hurt in the crash. Three passengers traveling with him in the Dodge Charger suffered minor injuries, police said. The circumstances surrounding the collision, including the speed of the Charger and the driver’s condition, became central to the investigation.
Thomas was initially charged with driving while intoxicated. However, prosecutors later announced two additional counts of aggravated involuntary manslaughter after reviewing the evidence. Olsen said Thomas had identified himself to state police as an active-duty Marine.
The prosecutor also reported that Thomas’s blood alcohol concentration was .17 percent. Virginia’s legal limit for most adult drivers is .08 percent, meaning the reported reading was more than twice that limit. The alcohol result was disclosed by the prosecutor and reported by local news outlets.
The two aggravated involuntary manslaughter charges each carry a possible maximum prison sentence of 20 years if Thomas is convicted. He is scheduled for arraignment on Monday, November 9. The case remains subject to the legal process, and the charges have not been proven in court.
The deadly wreck forced authorities to shut down every northbound lane of I-95 while emergency crews responded and investigators examined the scene. Traffic was diverted onto Route 1, leaving motorists to find another way around the crash site during the early Friday morning commute.
The Virginia Department of Transportation reported that the highway reopened around 7:09 a.m. Friday. The closure lasted several hours as authorities worked to clear the wreckage and complete their initial investigation.
The mother and child have not been publicly identified. Their deaths have left the injured father facing a painful family loss, while Thomas now faces serious criminal charges over the collision. Investigators continue to examine the crash.
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