State Police identify victim and driver in fatal crash on I-85

DINWIDDIE – A Florida couple has been identified by state police as the two people killed in last week’s serious traffic crash on Interstate 85 involving a tractor-trailer and five vehicles.

Robert Edward Bass, 58, and Amanda Norton Bass, 53, both of Crestview, Florida, died when their SUV was pushed by the tractor-trailer into a tree in the median and caught fire. Both were wearing seat belts and died instantly.

Their identities were the result of an autopsy by a state medical examiner.

The crash happened at about 7:45 a.m. Friday about two miles south of the McKenney exit on southbound I-85. State police say the driver of the semi allegedly failed to slow down and collided with a van, two SUVs and two pickup trucks.

The driver of the truck was identified as Michael Earl Collins, 38, of Chicago. State Police Sgt. Jess Shehan said he was taken to Bon Secours Southside Medical Center in Petersburg with non-life-threatening injuries.

Other drivers and passengers involved in the accident are:

• Jon Brandon Edwards, 48, of Clarksville, Virginia, and Jason Snead, 38, were in the van. Both were flown by helicopter to VCU Medical Center in Richmond with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
• Jamie Nicole Barfield, 40, of Dinwiddie, was in the other SUV. She was taken to SMC by ambulance.
• Austin Shane Sims, 22, of North Chesterfield, was a passenger in one of the pickup trucks. Shehan said Sims was not taken to the hospital, but his three passengers – Rojo German, 43, Riccardo Osman, 53, and Flores Bismark Perez, 34 – were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
• Ryan Hunter Bullock, 37, of Mechanicsville, was in the other pickup truck. He was not injured.