A mother and her young child are dead, and a father is fighting for his life after a speeding Dodge Charger slammed into their Nissan Rogue on Interstate 95 in Stafford County, Virginia. The man accused of causing the crash, identified as 25-year-old Malik Jeremiah Thomas of Fredericksburg, now faces two counts of aggravated involuntary manslaughter after authorities said he was driving under the influence.
The deadly collision happened shortly before 2 a.m. Friday, November 6, 2026, on northbound I-95 near mile marker 141. Virginia State Police said Thomas was behind the wheel of a Dodge Charger traveling at a high rate of speed when it struck the rear of the family’s Nissan Rogue.
The impact sent the Nissan off the left side of the interstate, where it overturned. The crash was so severe that the mother died at the scene. Her child, who was younger than 5, was rushed to a nearby hospital but later died from the injuries.
The Nissan’s driver, who was identified by Stafford County Commonwealth’s Attorney Eric Olsen as the husband of the woman and father of the child, suffered life-threatening injuries. He was taken to a hospital for treatment. The family lived in Stafford County, according to the prosecutor.
Thomas escaped the crash without injuries. However, three passengers riding in his Dodge Charger suffered minor injuries, according to state police.
What followed the crash brought more serious questions about the circumstances surrounding the collision. Thomas was initially arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated. Prosecutors later announced two additional counts of aggravated involuntary manslaughter in connection with the deaths.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Eric Olsen said Thomas identified himself to police as an active-duty Marine. Olsen also reported that Thomas had a blood alcohol concentration of .17 percent, more than twice Virginia’s legal limit of .08 percent. The reported alcohol level added another serious detail to a case that had already left a family devastated.
Each aggravated involuntary manslaughter charge carries a possible maximum sentence of 20 years in prison if Thomas is convicted. He is expected to appear in court for arraignment on Monday, November 9. The charges remain allegations, and the case will proceed through the court system.
The crash also caused major disruption for motorists traveling through Stafford County early Friday. All northbound lanes of I-95 were closed while emergency crews worked at the scene and investigators examined the wreckage. Drivers were redirected onto Route 1 as authorities handled the investigation.
The Virginia Department of Transportation reported that the northbound lanes reopened around 7:09 a.m. Friday. By then, the wreck had left two people dead, a father seriously injured and three other people recovering from minor injuries.
The identities of the mother and child have not been publicly released. For the family involved, the crash has brought a devastating loss, while investigators and prosecutors continue working through the circumstances that led to the deadly collision.