Child crash victim identified

By Uriah A. Kiser

Published: September 8, 2008

The identification of a Woodbridge boy who died in a car accident has been released.

Isaac Valladares, 10, of 1644 Hylton Avenue in Woodbridge was killed just before 2 p.m. on Sunday when the 2001 Toyota minivan he was riding in swerved to avoid hitting a car that was making a left turn. The accident happened at Mount Pleasant Drive and U.S. 1, according to Erika Hernandez, with Prince William County police.

The van crossed the median and overturned on the roadway, hitting a 2003 Mercury Sable that was traveling in the southbound lanes of the highway.

Valladares was taken to Potomac Hospital in Woodbridge where he later was pronounced dead. Four crash victims, including the 54-year-old female driver of the sedan and the 42-year-old female driver of the van were flown to Fairfax INOVA Hospital. Both were said to be in serious condition.

All of the people involved in the incident lived in the Woodbridge-area. Hernandez said no criminal charges have been filed in the crash.

Valladares was a fifth-grader at Kilby Elementary in Woodbridge. School officials said grief counselors were on hand Monday at Kilby and at Potomac View Elementary - where the 10-year-old went to school for the past two years - to talk to students about the crash.

“Any loss like this is tragic but it is especially tragic when it involves someone so young,” said Ken Blackstone, with Prince William County Schools.

Letters from both schools will be sent home to parents notifying them about the accident and counselors will remain at the schools throughout the week.

Blackstone said he has seen the number of crash-related deaths involving students rise in the past year, noting an accident this past summer which took the life of a middle school student.

Hernandez said most of the six occupants of the van were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash. Speed also could have been a factor in the incident.