Woman Driver, 81, Faces Charges in Fatal Crash in Vienna Area: Police

McLEAN, VA -- Fairfax County Police detectives from the Crash Reconstruction Unit continue their investigation into a Oct. 19, 2016 fatal crash in the Vienna area.

Police announced Wednesday that the driver of a 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, 81-year-old Mary Burns, of Potomac Falls, has been charged with disregarding a red traffic signal on Leesburg Pike near Towlston Road (see map below).

The crash took place Oct. 19, shortly before 4 p.m., when the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, driven by Burns, was traveling west on Route 7, approaching the intersection of Towlston Road, police said. The intersection is controlled by a traffic signal and the light for westbound Route 7 was red.

At about the same time, a 2008 Harley Davidson motorcycle, being operated by a 55-year-old man, was traveling south on Towlston Road, approaching the intersection of Route 7, on a green light, according to police. As the motorcycle entered the intersection, the Chevrolet failed to stop for the red light on Route 7, entered the intersection and struck the motorcycle, police said.

The rider of the Harley Davidson, Joseph Thomas Timpane, was thrown from the motorcycle and struck a 2012 Nissan Altima that was stopped in the left turn lane of eastbound Route 7, police said.

The Chevrolet then struck the Nissan and continued across the eastbound lanes of Route 7, striking a 2009 Honda Pilot before coming to rest. Timpane, of Ridgeview Drive in Springfield, was pronounced dead at the scene.

PHOTO: Police lights