Crystal Michelle Lyles,Ernesto Santiago Obituary, Death;- Speed and alcohol were identified as “significant contributing factors” in a deadly head-on collision on the Robert O. Norris Jr. Bridge in Lancaster County, as reported by Virginia State Police.
Two individuals lost their lives in the incident that occurred on Sunday, July 13, 2025, at approximately 6:53 p.m. On Monday, state police named the victims as follows:
Crystal Michelle Lyles, 42, from White Stone, Va.
Ernesto Santiago, 53, from Hampton, Va.
“Virginia State Police responded to a collision on the Robert O. Norris Bridge/ Route 3 involving a 2014 Mercedes-Benz ML350 SUV, a 2024 Subaru Outback, and a 2014 Ford Fusion,” stated a spokesperson for Virginia State Police regarding the incident. “The investigation indicated that the Mercedes-Benz, operated by Jesse David Foster, 30, from White Stone, Va., was traveling westbound on Route 3 at an excessive speed.”
According to police, when Foster attempted to overtake another vehicle in the eastbound lane, he sideswiped the Subaru Outback before colliding head-on with the Ford Fusion.
Lyles, who was a passenger in Foster’s vehicle, was thrown from the car and succumbed to her injuries at the scene. Santiago, the driver of the Ford Fusion, also perished in the crash.
Foster survived the incident and was airlifted to a hospital for medical care. His current condition has not been disclosed. The 27-year-old driver of the Subaru Outback was reported to be unharmed, according to police.
“State police found that none of the occupants in the Mercedes-Benz or the Ford Fusion were wearing seat belts at the time of the incident,” the statement added. “The investigation is ongoing, with support from the Virginia State Police Division One Crash Reconstruction Team.”
The Norris Bridge sustained damage, prompting the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to close the eastbound lane of the bridge until further notice for emergency inspections.
