Funeral plans for doctor and child killed in I-81 accident

Updated Friday, 12:15 a.m.

Funeral arrangements have been made for the local doctor and his daughter who were both killed in an accident Wednesday on Interstate 81.

A visitation will be held for Dr. George and Hannah on Sunday at Fifth Avenue Baptist Church in Huntington West Virginia from 5-8 p.m.

A funeral will be held there Monday at 11:00 a.m.

Police still don't know why the SUV swerved and hit a guardrail.

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Updated Thursday, 6:15 p.m.
by Scott Leamon

Hannah George's school, Faith Christian in Roanoke County, had a special assembly this morning at 8 o'clock.
The school's lead administrator, Sam Cox, said several youth pastors from area churches checked in all day to help grieving students.
The school provided its 300 member student body with large paper banners and markers for special messages to the George family.
Dr. George's widow, Teresa, was a regular volunteer at the school, Cox said.
Hannah was a freshmen.
Friends wrote about her bright smile, positive attitude, and love for horses.
Cox said Dr. George and Hannah were on their way to Rockbridge County for Hannah's riding lessons when the accident happened.

The lead State Police investigator said it's a mystery as to what caused Dr. George to veer off the interstate and into a guard rail.
The working theory among investigators is that making contact a second time with the guard rail punctured the gas tank of Dr. George's SUV, starting a fire.
The Medical Examiner's office in Roanoke made positive identification of both bodies this afternoon.

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Updated Thursday 3:20 a.m.

The NBC affiliate, WSAZ, in Huntington West Virginia reports that Dr. George just moved to Roanoke a little over a year ago from Huntington. He was a cardiovascular surgeon.

They say his 13-year-old daughter, Hannah, was also killed in the crash.

He had strong ties to the Huntington, West Virginia, area. His local philanthropy led the Hospitality House to change its name in his honor--to the Jeffrey E. George Comfort Hospitality House.

Dr. George attended medical school at West Virginia University.

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WSLS has learned that a local doctor is one of two people killed in an accident on Interstate 81 in Botetourt County near Natural Bridge. The accident happened on Wednesday afternoon.

State Police say when they got to the accident the SUV had flipped over a guardrail and was on fire. Police say they are reasonably certain of the victims' identities but are waiting for results from the medical examiner. They confirmed that an adult and a child were killed.

We received information that one of the victims was Dr. Jeffrey George who is a cardiovascular surgeon for Carilion Clinic. When we contacted Carilion about it they said, "At Carilion we are in shock and heartbroken by this tragic loss. we are trying to do what we can to support his family."