VDOT Safety Service Patrol Worker Killed in I-64 Hit-and-Run [NEWPORT NEWS, VA]

A Virginia Department of Transportation Safety Service Patrol worker was struck and killed while responding to a crash scene on Interstate 64 in Newport News in the early morning hours of Saturday, September 19, 2026, according to Virginia State Police. The driver of the vehicle that struck and killed the worker fled the scene, and VSP is actively searching for the suspect’s vehicle — described as an orange Dodge Charger.

Virginia State Police were called to the westbound lanes of I-64 near the Jefferson Avenue overpass at approximately 3:12 a.m. following a report of a sleeping motorist on the interstate. While officers were at the scene, a Kia Sorento driven by Wanagi Gordon, 44, of Newport News, struck the rear of a VSP patrol vehicle. The trooper was outside the patrol car at the time and was not injured. While crews from VSP and VDOT’s Safety Service Patrol were still working the scene, a third and uninvolved vehicle — an orange Dodge Charger — struck the Safety Service Patrol worker. That driver fled immediately. The patrol worker sustained fatal injuries. His identity had not been released as of the time of reporting, pending notification of his next of kin. Gordon was charged with reckless driving and driving while his license was suspended. VSP is continuing to search for the driver of the orange Dodge Charger and is asking anyone with information to come forward.

VDOT’s Safety Service Patrol professionals respond to crashes, disabled vehicles, and other incidents on Virginia’s interstates, often working near active traffic. Virginia’s Move Over law, codified at Virginia Code § 46.2-861.1, requires drivers approaching certain stationary vehicles displaying qualifying warning lights to move into a non-adjacent lane when reasonable and safe on qualifying highways or, when a lane change would be unreasonable or unsafe, proceed with due caution and maintain a safe speed for highway conditions. The circumstances surrounding this fatal collision remain under investigation as Virginia State Police continue searching for the driver who left the scene.

When a highway worker is killed while performing their job, multiple areas of law may become relevant. Depending on the worker’s employment and the circumstances of the crash, workers’ compensation benefits may be available to eligible surviving family members. If evidence establishes that another driver’s negligence caused or contributed to the worker’s death, the family may also have legal options through a third-party wrongful death claim. The availability and relationship of these claims depend on the specific circumstances involved.

The hit-and-run circumstances may also carry significant legal consequences. Under Virginia Code § 46.2-894, a driver involved in a crash resulting in injury or death must stop, provide specified identifying information, and render reasonable assistance to anyone injured. A violation of the statute involving injury or death is a Class 5 felony. If investigators identify the driver of the Dodge Charger, any criminal proceedings would be separate from a potential civil wrongful death claim arising from the crash.

If your family has lost a loved one in a highway worker crash, a hit-and-run, or any other serious collision in Newport News or anywhere across Hampton Roads, Breit Law is here to help. With more than 47 years of trial experience, William Breit has fought for the families of crash victims throughout Newport News, Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, and all of Hampton Roads — and he is not afraid to take your case to court. To speak with an experienced Virginia wrongful death attorney, contact us today.

Sources: 

• WAVY News 10
• WTKR News 3

Map showing I-64 near the Jefferson Avenue overpass in Newport News, Virginia, where a VDOT Safety Service Patrol worker was killed in a hit-and-run on September 19, 2026.