An 85-year-old Woolwine man died at the scene after his pickup truck ran off Route 40 in Patrick County and struck trees Friday afternoon, Virginia State Police said. Wendell Rudolph Martin was driving a Ford F-150 eastbound when the vehicle left the road about half a mile east of Route 8.
State troopers responded to the crash around 3:30 p.m. on Friday, according to WSLS. As reported by WDBJ7, Martin's truck ran off the right side of the road before hitting the trees, and he died at the scene. Police also said Martin was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.
Investigation Still Underway
Investigators had not disclosed what may have caused the crash as of Monday, and the station's report notes the investigation remains ongoing. No further details about the circumstances leading up to the wreck have been released by troopers.
The crash adds to a string of recent fatal wrecks that Virginia State Police have investigated in Patrick County. In one earlier case, the driver of a Jeep Patriot, 70-year-old John S. Coles of Claudville, died at the scene of a two-vehicle crash, according to the Martinsville Bulletin. The newspaper separately reported that troopers have investigated other fatal crashes in the county, including a single-vehicle wreck and a head-on collision that later proved fatal.
A Life of Service Remembered
Martin's obituary, published through Maberry Funeral Home, said he served in the United States Air Force from 1963 to 1967 and completed three tours of duty in Southeast Asia. Funeral services are scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 4, in the Maberry Funeral Home Chapel.
News of Martin's death was first reported locally by RBS News Now. As the investigation continues, Virginia State Police have not indicated when additional findings about the crash might be released.
