Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Christiansburg man killed after tractor-trailer runs red light on VA-419
A Christiansburg man was killed today when a tractor-trailer ran a red light and struck his pickup truck as he turned from the Interstate 81 ramp at Exit 141 onto Virginia 419 in Roanoke County.
Just after noon today, David Ray Allen, 61, was waiting to turn his 1987 Toyota pickup off the I-81 ramp and onto VA-419. As the traffic light turned green, he turned onto the road and was hit by a tractor-trailer traveling northbound that had run the red light. The tractor trailer was driven by Marvin Lee Vlastuin, 57, of Roland, Okla.
Allen, who was not wearing a seat belt, was taken by ambulance to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital and was pronounced dead a short time later, said Sgt. Rob Carpentieri, Virginia State Police spokesman.
Vlastuin, who was wearing a seat belt and was not injured in the wreck, has been charged with disregarding a red light, Carpentieri said. He works for CalArk Transport out of Hurricane Mills, Tenn.
State police are investigating the wreck, and have not released any further details.
