Two killed in Campbell Co. crashes

By Carrie Sidener and Dave Thompson
Lynchburg News & Advance
Published: May 2, 2008

Two Gladys men died in separate wrecks Thursday night, police said.

Timothy Ervin Barlow, 40, of Whipping Creek Road in Gladys, died after his sport utility vehicle hit several trees just before 9 p.m., said Sgt. David Cooper of the Virginia State Police.

Barlow was driving his 1993 Chevy Blazer east on Whipping Creek Road near Va. 672 when he ran off the right side of the road and struck a culvert, Cooper said.

He then overcorrected and ran off the left side of the road hitting several trees, Cooper said.

Barlow was not wearing a seatbelt, Cooper said. The wreck is still under investigation.

Jonathan O’Neal St. John, 33, died Thursday afternoon after running his car off the side of Mollies Creek Road, not far from U.S. 501 near Naruna, Cooper said.

Cooper said speed was a factor, although he didn’t know O’Neal’s exact speed.

Cooper said St. John was not wearing his seatbelt when his 1990 Honda Civic ran off the right side of the road as the road curved left.

The car went into a ditch and followed it for a few hundred feet, finally striking a tree, which sheared off the right side of the vehicle.

“(It sheared) the fender, both front and rear doors, the rear fender and the rear wheel on the right-hand side,” Cooper said.

St. John was thrown from the car as it spun around several times after striking the tree. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

St. John was by himself in the car, and no other vehicles were involved.

A passing motorist called the accident in to emergency dispatchers shortly after 3 p.m., Cooper said.

The accident happened one-tenth of a mile north of County Airport Road.

Cooper said that investigation is ongoing as well. Trooper G.G. McMurray is investigating.