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Police release more details in fatal wreck


Wytheville Enterprise: News > Bland County Messenger: News >
Mon Dec 03, 2007 - 01:00 PM

By JEFFREY SIMMONS/Staff

A Wythe County mother was killed and her son injured Monday afternoon when her car collided with a motor home in Bland County.
According to the Virginia State Police, 26-year-old Hope Crystal Lawson died in the 12:10 p.m. crash on Interstate 77 north of the Big Walker Mountain Tunnel.
Her 4-year-old son, Jason, was expected to be released from a North Carolina hospital on Tuesday.
Traveling in a 1999 Dodge Avenger, the two were headed north Monday afternoon when the mother went off the left shoulder, overcorrected, hit the guardrail on the right, and crossed both northbound lanes and the median before colliding with a southbound motor home driven by 74-year-old William A. Gantzer of Cranberry, Pa., police said.
Neither Gantzer nor his wife was injured in the crash at the 49.7 mile marker.
After the impact, both the mother and son, neither of whom was wearing a seat belt, were apparently thrown into the back seat, Trooper T.U. Keene said. The child wasn’t in a car seat, he said.
According to Keene, investigators don’t know, and probably never will, what caused the crash. Both southbound lanes were temporarily blocked after the wreck, and some southbound motorists were detoured onto U.S. 52 north at the Bland exit.
Bland County Rescue Squad members took Jason Lawson to Wythe County Community Hospital, where he was transferred to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem.
The boy is the son of Wythe County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Brian Lawson. Wythe County Sheriff Doug King said that Jason, whose main injury was a broken leg, was supposed to come home on Tuesday.
The department has started a Hope Crystal Lawson Memorial Fund for Deputy Lawson’s late wife at Truliant Federal Credit Union in Wytheville for anyone wanting to contribute to the family’s expenses.
When talking about Hope Lawson, King said he’d always remember her ever-present grin.
“(She) smiled all the time,” he said.
A Graham High School graduate, Lawson once worked at GIV in Bastian.
Lawson was the second person in just over a week killed on a Bland County roadway. On Nov. 25, 44-year-old Cecil Willard Nelson III of Bland died after being ejected from his vehicle on Virginia 42.
Another Bland County man was thrown from his vehicle on Sunday in a Wilderness Road crash but apparently sustained no life-threatening injuries, according to police.
Trooper Steve Altizer said Monday that Joseph Daniel Jackson, 24, of Bland suffered a severe head laceration in the 4:25 p.m. wreck about one mile west of Virginia 608.
Jackson was driving a 2005 Toyota Scion east on Wilderness Road when he drove off the left side of the highway and hit a dirt embankment, which caused his vehicle to flip several times.
Jackson, the only person in the vehicle, was taken to Bluefield Regional Medical Center for treatment, Altizer said.
According to the trooper, the wreck is still under investigation and charges are pending.
Jeffrey Simmons can be reached at 1-800-655-1406 or .

Reader Reaction:

Tuesday? Didn’t y’all mean Monday?

Posted by TA Malmberg from Bland, VA  on  12/03  at  02:10 PM

i worked with crystal. God be with Jason. Brian and the family r in our prayers please keep us posted

Posted by giv friend from wytheville va  on  12/03  at  10:43 PM

My husband and I saw the accident and were the first there.  Is the little boy okay?  We may have been the last to see the mom before the accident happened.  She was behind us going through the tunnel, then passed our car before the accident happened.  Thank-you.

Posted by Diane Hall from Wadsworth, Ohio  on  12/04  at  02:10 AM

THIS IS THE WRECK THAT HAPPEN.....

Posted by DREAMA GAMMON from WYTHEVILLE VIRGINIA  on  12/04  at  09:29 AM

What a tragic event, we all pray for the families to somehow find comfort. I think we could all have done without the graphic photo of the vehicle. It hurt me to look at that photo. I feel a news story alone would have been more appropriate, especially considering the loss of life of a local person. I hope and pray the little boy is O.K.

Posted by Kenneth Prosch from Valley View Retreat, Bland, VA  on  12/04  at  11:04 AM

Chris and I were good friends, She was the sweetest and most thoughtful person around. God must needed an angel, She will be sadly missed and greatfully remembered.God please take care of little Jason,

Posted by Lou Puckett from Blfd Va.  on  12/04  at  12:28 PM

I worked w/Crystal at GIV.  My thoughts and prayers go out to the entire family.  Jason, your mommy talked about all the time.  She loved you so much.

Posted by Barbara Campbell from Bluefield VA  on  12/04  at  01:39 PM

I spoke with a teacher of the young boy.  I hear he has a broke leg but will be home today.  I imagine the couple from Ohio would like to know… I know this must be on your mind the past few day.  May God comfort all who suffer this loss.

Posted by heavy hearted from Bastian VA  on  12/04  at  02:09 PM

My heart has broken over this tragedy.  Crystal, Brain, and Jason are our neighbors. She was a wonderful mother.  I always saw her with Jason and her little dog.  She will be missed by all who knew her. Her family is in my prayers.

Posted by Debra Dycus from Wytheville, VA  on  12/04  at  02:45 PM

Crystal was my best friend.  I am overwhelmed with grief.  She was a wonderful mother, she loved her son Jason, husband Brian and stepdaughter Taylor more than anything.  I can’t believe she is gone. She will be missed by so many.  She was a great person.  My heart is broken....

Posted by Michelle Havens from Bland VA  on  12/04  at  04:50 PM

Crystal and I graduated together and were close friends. She was a super nice person whom always made us laugh. May God always be with little Jason.Much love and prayers to all her family.

Posted by close friend in Princeton from Princeton,W.va  on  12/04  at  06:21 PM

I have known Crystal pretty much all of my life.  As kids we would play together.  We used to call her giggle box.  She always had a smile on her face.  My thoughts and prayers go out to her family.  RIP Crystal.

Posted by Kerry Roark from Wytheville, Va  on  12/04  at  07:35 PM

Thanks to all for the update on Jason.  There are prayers going out to him and his family from everyone we know, and all the Gideon’s in Ohio.  I held Jason till he went into the ambulance, and he was a sweet and brave little boy.  I will never forget him and hope I can see him sometime in happier circumstances.  People who don’t even know them are touched by this.  The picture of the car was terrible, but most of the damage was in the back.  It was worse than I remembered.

Posted by D. Hall from Wadsworth, Ohio  on  12/04  at  07:42 PM

We knew Crystal from coming into our store “Woody’s”. What a wonderful girl...a wonderful mother and wife. No matter were you seen her. She had a smile and a couple of words to say to you about Jason and Brian.  Our hearts goes out to Brian and Jason with this terrible tragedy and loss. May God give you comfort and strength.

Posted by BOBBY AND MARY WOODY & DREAMA GAMMON from Rocky Gap  on  12/04  at  08:13 PM

The Lord was with little Jason on the day of this accident.  I was driving right behind the car and saw the whole tragedy and was the first to get to the car after it came to a rest.  The only place Jason could have lived through this was were I found him.  He was in the back seat, behind the driver’s seat, with his little head on his mom side. I truly believe our Heavenly Father has very special and great plans for His little Jason.  I will be praying for you and your family everyday Jason. My wife, Diane really loved holding and comforting you. You were such a brave little boy.

Posted by Randy Hall from Wadsworth, Ohio  on  12/04  at  11:06 PM

I was a friend of Crystals that worked with her at GIV.  My thoughts and prayers are with the Lawson family during their tragic loss.  She was a spunky and fun-loving person that lived life to the fullest and wanted nothing but the best for her little boy.  She will be greatly missed.

Posted by Julia Kolis from Wytheville, VA  on  12/04  at  11:32 PM

I knew Crystal since she was 10.
As I seat with your family. We ask so many question to why you are gone. We remember the memories that we shared with you. We cry to think there will be no more. As we look at the your car after the wreck. We thank God that Jason is here to continue to carry your smile. Our hearts sadden more to think of that little boy without his mother. We ask the question WHY? To know in our hearts we will never know the answer. We will never understand why you was taken from us or from from your precious little boy. But as long as we remember your smile, or look at a picture of you we will always remember what you meant to each and every one of us in our own special way. As we all go on we know the pain will ease but the memory will never fade. One day we will see you again til then you will always be with us. We hope to make sure that Jason will know of you and remind him every chance we get that you love him so much. We Miss You! God Be With Jason & Brian and family and friends as we all deal with this great loss.

Posted by Erin Osborne from Bramwell, Wv  on  12/05  at  02:01 AM

Dear Lord,

Please be with Brian & Jason.  Let Brian treasure every moment with his son and always remember that he is alive by the grace of God. 

Thank you lord for protecting Jason and please keep Crystal close by your side.  Let her smile keep you company.  She will be missed greatly.

Posted by God works in mysterious ways from  on  12/05  at  10:05 AM

First of all I want to say that my heart goes out to this family. A husband lost his wife and a little boy lost his mother.

But I am DISGUSTED on how this newspaper reports on fatal accidents. Why cant you just write a story and not print the picture? The person who writes odviously does not care if your readers are offended by what is put in your paper.

In 1997 my grandfather was in a fatal accident that killed him and another person. It made front page news and the photos along with the story where of the EMT crews trying to save there lives, photos that should have never even been taken. I was 15 years old at the time and that image has stayed with me ever since.

What needs to be understood is that these people who are killed have families who will see these pictures in your newspaper and will be deeply affected by what they see.

Posted by Shaunika Crockett from Wytheville, Va  on  12/05  at  10:10 AM

Crystal will be greatly missed!! Bryan and Jason you are in everyones hearts and prayers. We are all here for you.

Posted by Sad Friend from Wytheville  on  12/05  at  03:44 PM

Crystal was such a giving and warm person and a great friend to all.  She will be truly missed. Our hearts and prayers are with Brian, Jason and the family.

Posted by Clay Neal from Rocky Gap  on  12/05  at  10:50 PM

Crystal was one of my very best friends.  I love her so much and she will be so greatly missed.  Brian and Jason, my thoughts and prayers are with you.

Posted by Jill Morris from Wytheville, VA  on  12/05  at  10:55 PM

I did not know neither Brian nor Crystal. However, my fiance Dewey was working with Brian at the academy on this day. Hearing the story brought tears to my eyes. I could not imagine the pain Brian must have felt when he received the news while working, and now continues to feel each day. It is amazing how the Lord allowed little Jason to stay behind to be by daddy’s side in order to keep him somewhat strong. Kind of like his own special guardian Angel. Our prayers are with Brian, lil Jason, Taylor, and the entire family. Sometimes it is hard to understand why God does the things he does, but in the end we will. Brian and family if you ever get a chance to sit and read these, please know that there are a lot of people that love and support all of you. If you ever need anything, you can call on any of us. May God’s love and strength shine upon each one of you. We are here whenever u need us. God Bless you all!

Posted by Terra from Abingdon, VA  on  12/06  at  06:09 PM

To Diane and Randy Hall:
My son-in-law, Stanley Johnson, is Crystal’s brother. Thank you so much for stopping to do what you could to help Crystal and Jason. It’s comforting to know that someone got to Jason quickly and helped to care for him until he was put in the ambulance. The information you provided means so much as we try understand and comprehend what happened. God bless you for being there.

Posted by Debi Baig from Somerville, NJ  on  12/12  at  11:36 PM

Jason, Bryan, and Crystal, have been in my thoughts so much since this happened.  I wanted Bryan to know that the EMS, police, and others who stopped at the accident were just wonderful.  The EMS that took care of Jason were so kind to him, also.  You and your families will be in our thoughts and prayers for a long, long, time.

Posted by Diane Hall from Wadsworth, Ohio  on  12/16  at  01:27 PM
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