Virginia State Police are investigating a fatal single-vehicle crash on westbound I-264 near the Victory Boulevard exit ramp in Portsmouth. A 95-year-old North Chesterfield woman, identified as Yvonne Cowart, died after the minivan she was riding in overturned, WAVY reported. The cause of the crash has not been established in the report.
According to WAVY, the minivan left the roadway, struck a light pole and overturned. Cowart was taken to a hospital, where she later died. Another passenger was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, while the driver reported no injuries. Cowart’s next of kin was notified.
The report did not identify the surviving passenger or give an updated condition. The west right lane, right shoulder and an entrance ramp were closed after the crash; WAVY reported that all westbound lanes had reopened at 6:51 p.m. on October 17. The investigation remains ongoing.
A separate fatal crash on the same interstate
A prior fatal crash offers a comparison, but not evidence about the cause or risk factors in Cowart’s case. In August 2021, WAVY reported that a separate single-vehicle crash on westbound I-264 near the Portsmouth Boulevard exit ramp killed a 29-year-old front-seat passenger; the driver was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. That incident was years earlier and at a different exit.
