A 21-year-old Manassas Park man is dead after his car crossed double yellow center lines while trying to pass another vehicle and slammed into a parked tractor-trailer on Hansen Farm Road in Bristow. Sayed Mohammad Hamed Shams was pronounced dead at the scene of Thursday afternoon's crash, which unfolded just before 2:44 p.m. as he drove north in a 2022 Toyota Corolla.
According to Fox 5 DC, investigators say Shams attempted to pass another vehicle that was turning right onto Wellingford Road when he lost control of the Corolla, crossed the double yellow lines, and left the roadway before crashing into the unoccupied tractor-trailer parked along the shoulder. Prince William County police responded to the area of Hansen Farm Road and Wellingford Road and determined that speed was a contributing factor in the crash. Investigators have not said whether the tractor-trailer was legally parked at the time.
A Maneuver Virginia Law Explicitly Bars
The passing maneuver described by investigators runs directly against Virginia's traffic code. Under Virginia Code § 46.2-804, drivers are barred from crossing double solid yellow lines except to make a left turn or pass a pedestrian or human-powered vehicle such as a bicycle. A related statute, Virginia Code § 46.2-843, further requires that the opposing lane be clearly visible and free of oncoming traffic for a sufficient distance before a driver attempts to overtake another vehicle. Miscalculating that gap on a narrow two-lane road, as outlined in guidance from personal injury firm Allen & Allen, significantly raises the risk of a driver losing control or colliding head-on with oncoming traffic.
Hansen Farm Road near Prince William Parkway has seen fatal crashes before. In October 2025, a 35-year-old commercial driver died when his truck veered onto the shoulder and struck a guardrail along the same corridor, a crash WUSA9 reported police suspected stemmed from a medical emergency the driver experienced before hitting the barrier.
Why a Semi Was Parked on the Shoulder
Land Line Media described Prince William County's Residential and Commercial Parking Initiative and reported on regional truck-parking shortages and parking in residential or mixed-use areas. Under county zoning rules, vehicles weighing 10,100 pounds or more are classified as commercial vehicles and are barred from parking in residential zones. Commercial vehicles may park on streets only in areas approved for such parking. Residents can report improperly parked vehicles through the reporting channels provided by the county.
A County Already Grappling With Crash Numbers
Thursday's fatal crash is a roadway incident in Prince William County.
Roadway safety concerns extend statewide, though comparable statewide and national figures are not included here.
Investigation Continues
Prince William County police are asking anyone with information about Thursday's crash to come forward. Investigators can be reached at 703-792-6500, and tips can also be submitted online at pwcva.gov/policetip. No further details on the cause of Shams's loss of control, or on the tractor-trailer's parking status, have been released.
