One dead after man’s reckless driving causes head-on crash, Danville PD says

DANVILLE, Va. (WDBJ) - A Kentucky man was arrested Thursday evening in Danville after his reckless driving, after an alleged sexual assault of a woman at a restaurant, led to property damage and a crash killing one person, according to the Danville Police Department.

Police say 25-year-old Richard Omar Morales, of Sharpsburg, was arrested and charged with:

• Involuntary Manslaughter
• Two counts of Hit and Run
• Two counts of Property Damage
• Trespassing
• Assault and Battery
• Sexual Battery

Officers say they were dispatched to the 200 block of Main St. around 8:08 p.m. July 2, 2026, for a report of an alleged drunk man who was accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a restaurant before leaving the restaurant in a truck. While driving, he then allegedly struck the JTI Fountain; then drove away west on Memorial Ave. without stopping.

Officers also say the investigation revealed that Morales, driving a white Denali, traveled through the intersection of Primrose Dr. and Memorial Dr. and sped by a vehicle on his right side, striking a guard rail and losing control.

Police say Morales crossed into the oncoming lanes with the truck and hit, head-on, an eastbound Kia Optima driven by 23-year-old Brandon Lovelace Martin, of Clover.

Martin was pronounced dead at the scene; Morales was transported to a hospital before being released. He’s in jail without bond, according to police.

Additional charges are pending the outcome of the investigation.