SMYTH COUNTY, Va. (WJHL) -- The Virginia State Police (VSP) reports a Smyth County school resource officer (SRO) has died following a single-vehicle crash that took place early Saturday morning on Interstate 81.
A release from the VSP said a pickup truck was traveling north on I-81 near mile marker 45 at around 3:06 a.m. when it went off the left side of the roadway, into the median and down a steep, rocky embankment.
The VSP said the truck then overturned and came to rest on the southbound side of the median.
The driver, Earnest Atwell, Jr., 60, of Atkins, died from his injuries, the release said. Atwell was an SRO with the Smyth County Sheriff's Office, according to the VSP.
The crash remains under investigation by the VSP.