Alcohol may have been involved in the Montgomery County wreck Tuesday evening, that killed two elementary school children.
According to a search warrant, the driver, Derrick Lynn, told a rescue worker he'd had a drink before the wreck. The search warrant also says a deputy found "a glass bottle that contained an alcoholic beverage inside of the vehicle."
Lynn was driving a 2008 Toyota Yaris, when it ran off the Allegheny Springs Road Tuesday evening, hitting a telephone pole and a tree.
Two children, 10-year old James Cates, and nine-year-old Katrina Howard were both killed. Lynn is in good condition at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
Police filed search warrants to get a sample of his blood and test for alcohol, on the suspicion that Lynn was driving under the influence.
His family told News7's Karen Kiley Wednesday, that Lynn had been coming from the library with the kids, and was on his way home when he got caught in a bad storm.
Funeral services for James Cates and Katrina Howard have been finalized. Services for both children will be held at the same time.
Visitation is from 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the Horne Funeral Service in Christiansburg. James and Katrina's funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Blacksburg.
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The mother of one of the two children killed in Tuesday's crash says the children were on their way home from the library when the car they were riding in hit a utility pole and a tree.
Tressa Cates says her son James was killed. He was ten years old and had just graduated from Falling Branch Elementary School. Tressa Cates' sister, nine-year-old Katrina Howard, also died after the crash. Katrina was a student Gilbert Linkous Elementary.
Tressa Cates said her brother, Derrick Lynn was driving and is hospitalized. Cates said he told her the last thing he remembered was heading straight for the tree. The crash happened around the same time as an intense thunderstorm in the area. Sheriff's department investigators say they do not yet know exactly what caused the wreck.
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Two children were killed in a car wreck in Montgomery County Tuesday.
It happened on Alleghany Springs Road, near the intersection of Mount Pleasant Road. The vehicle was headed toward Floyd County when it ran off the left side of the road, struck a pole and tree.
A ten-year-old boy and nine-year-old girl were both transported to a local hospital where they died. The driver, Derrick Wade Lynn, was taken to Roanoke Memorial Hospital. He's in good condition.
The crash remains under investigation.
Here is the full news release:
On June 21, 2011 at 5:40 p.m., the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office responded to a single vehicle accident on Alleghany Springs Road (Rt. 637), near the intersection of Mount Pleasant Road. The vehicle was traveling toward Floyd County when it ran off the left side of the road and struck a utility pole and tree.
The driver, Derrick Wade Lynn was transported to Roanoke Memorial Hospital. A ten (10) year old male occupant of the vehicle was also transported to Roanoke Memorial Hospital where he died as the result of injuries. A nine (9) year old female occupant was transported to Lewis Gale Montgomery Hospital and was later transferred to Roanoke Memorial Hospital where she also died from her injuries. The names of the juveniles will not be released.
The crash is under investigation by the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office and the New River Valley Regional Crash Investigative Team.
