James McDaniel, 20, Colten Garcia, 20, Kaden Ashby, 21, and Kaiden Radford, 21, were killed when the vehicle they were traveling in crashed near the I-77 and I-64 split in Charleston, West Virginia. All four were from Raleigh County, turning what had been a night with friends into a deadly crash that is now under investigation.
The collision happened late Friday night, Aug. 21, near Pennsylvania Avenue. Police said the vehicle was traveling on the interstate when it struck a concrete barrier and went over the elevated roadway. It then fell roughly 42 feet into the Martin Marietta gravel yard below.
Emergency crews responded to the crash, but there was nothing they could do to save the four occupants. McDaniel, Garcia, Ashby and Radford were all pronounced dead at the scene. Their ages made the loss especially difficult for the people who knew them, with each victim just 20 or 21 years old.
Police believe the group may have been returning from the Jason Aldean concert at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center. The crash site is close to the interstate split, and investigators said the vehicle could only have been on that section of the highway for a couple of minutes before it went over the wall.
The exact cause remains unknown. Charleston police are continuing their investigation and have not publicly determined whether a specific factor caused the driver to lose control. For now, investigators are focused on establishing exactly what happened before the vehicle hit the barrier.
The location itself is also getting renewed attention. Police said the deadly wreck was the third accident in that area within a week. It was also the second crash during that same period in which a vehicle went over the edge of the retaining wall. That has added to concerns about a stretch of interstate where serious crashes have happened before.
Transportation and police officials have been looking at possible safety measures in the area, while investigators continue examining the latest crash. Police have also urged drivers to slow down, stay focused and avoid distractions because several factors can contribute when vehicles leave the interstate.
But behind the road-safety questions are four families dealing with a much more personal loss. James McDaniel, Colten Garcia, Kaden Ashby and Kaiden Radford were young men from the same county whose lives ended in the same crash. Their deaths have left friends, relatives and others across Raleigh County mourning while Charleston police continue searching for answers.
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