Smyth County SRO dies in weekend vehicle accident

The Virginia State Police reports that a Smyth County school resource officer has died following a single-vehicle crash that happened early Saturday morning on Interstate 81. Virginia State Police say a pickup truck was traveling north on I-81 near mile marker 45 at around 3:06 a.m. when it went off the left side of the roadway, into the median and down a steep, rocky embankment. Police said the truck then overturned and came to rest on the southbound side of the median. The release says that 60 year old Earnest Atwell, Jr. of Atkins died from his injuries. Atwell was an SRO with the Smyth County Sheriff’s Office. The crash remains under investigation by the VSP.