The Danville Police Department, through investigation and cooperation with the Medical Examiner's Office of the Western District of Virginia, has verified the identities of two victims found after a single vehicle accident on September 4, 2021. The victims are identified as driver, 54-year-old Brian Odell Bowden of Danville, and passenger, 49-year-old Leanette Renee Tharp. The next-of-kin for each victim in this tragic accident have been notified.
The investigation, with assistance from the Virginia State Police's crash reconstruction team, concluded the vehicle was traveling between 79 mph and 92 mph at the time of the crash, before striking a telephone pole and being engulfed in flames. The DNA verified identifications of the victims and finalized analysis of the scene reconstruction brings this criminal investigation to a conclusion.
Previous Release from 09-04-2021:
The Danville Police Department is investigating a single-vehicle automobile accident with two confirmed deceased occupants.
At approximately 7:55 AM, Danville Police officers responded to the intersection of Piney Forest Road and Seminole Trail for a single vehicle accident. Officers found a four-door Nissan sedan engulfed in flames upon arrival. The two occupants of the vehicle were pronounced dead at the scene. The bodies will be sent the Medical Examiners Office for identification.
The initial investigation shows the vehicle was traveling northbound on Piney Forest Road at a high rate of speed, left the roadway and struck two telephone poles prior to the fire.
Officers are on scene investigating the accident this morning
