Update: Motorists, Neighbors Tried to Save Wolf Trap Employee Killed on Georgetown Pike

Update:  A Hyattsville man, who worked as a stagehand at Wolf Trap was killed late Wednesday night when the motorcycle he was riding was hit head-on on Georgetown Pike at the entrance to The Reserve, Fairfax police said.

Brian Benson,58,  driving a 1999 Triumph motorcycle was travelling east on Georgetown Pike approaching the intersection of Centrillion Drive shortly after 11 p.m. A 2001 Mercedes, driven by Gabriel Arevalo-Melendez, 30, of Sterling, Virginia was travelling west and apparently crossed the center line of the roadway and struck the motorcycle, police said.

Benson's wife, in a brief conversation, said her husband was returning home from work at Wolf Trap. He is a father.

David Chandler was standing in his yard when he heard "a really loud crash." He lives with his family in a home at the intersection where the accident occurred.

He walked a short distance to the intersection and saw Benson face down on the ground. Chandler, who is a U.S. paratrooper, said he saw two teenagers who were lifeguards and who had stopped when they saw the accident.

He crossed the street and joined them. “I was holding his head to stablize it and they were doing CPR," Chandler said. "I was holding on trying to keep his head stable  in case of a spinal injury. . .We did it for five to ten minutes until the EMTs got there,” Chandler said.

Donna Chandler, David's mother arrived a bit later and she said "just a pile of shredded metal right in the middle of Georgetown Pike," she said.

Natalie Rasmus, who lives on Langley Ridge Drive, the next intersection, said she was driving east on Georgetown Pike returning from work in Great Falls. As she neared her street  "I saw a smashed up Mercedes. The car was smoking and sparks were flying out," she said.

When she arrived home her family told her about the accident. She said she was surprised to find the Mercedes was involved because "he was so far away."

Her sister Caroline said ,"I was watching TV and I heard a loud crash." The crash was near the corner of their lot. She walked out and saw a motorist stopping cars and asking for a doctor.

Chandler said he happened to be outside because he had just come from walking the family dog.

The Reserve, located between Old Dominion Drive and Georgetown Pike just west of Swinks Mill Road, is one of McLean's most expensive subdivisions.

 UPDATE 9:05: A 58-year-old Hyattsville, Md man was killed late Wednesday night when the motorcycle he was riding was hit head-on  on Georgetown Pike approaching the intersection of Centrillion Drive, according to a statement issued this morning by the Fairfax County police department.

Brian Benson, driving a 1999 Triumph motorcycle was travelling east on Georgetown Pike approaching the intersection of Centrillion Drive shortly after 11 p.m. A 2001 Mercedes, driven by Gabriel Arevalo-Melendez, 30, of Sterling, Virginia was travelling west and apparently crossed the center line of the roadway and struck the motorcycle.

Benson was transported to a local hospital and was pronounced dead shortly before midnight. Arevalo-Melendez was charged with reckless driving, police said.

Georgetown Pike was closed in both directions for several hours while Crash Reconstruction detectives conducted their investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Solvers by phone at 1-866-411-TIPS/8477, e-mail at www.fairfaxcrimesolvers.org or text “TIP187” plus your message to CRIMES/274637 or call Fairfax County Police at 703-691-2131.

Update: A car and motorcyle were involved in a headon collision about 11 p.m. Wednesday night on Georgetown Pike at Centrillon near by an entrance to The Reserve, according to police reports.

One man was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead.

We'll update with further details as they are released.

If neighbors have details of the accident please let us know, bobbi.bowman@mcleanpatch.com

ORIGINAL Story: Fairfax Police report that a fatal accident occurred last night on Georgetown Pike near Centrilon.

WRC-TV reported a few minutes ago that the accident involved a motorcycle. Apparently one person was killed.

We're awaiting further details from the Fairfax police.