Two people killed in area wrecks

A North Carolina woman died Saturday morning in an Amherst wreck that also sent her two children to the hospital.

The second wreck killed a Campbell County man who lost control of his motorcycle on Virginia 24 in Evington.

Sgt. K.R. Brown, with the Amherst Police Department, said Tessa Cromwell, 36, of Chapel Hill, N.C., lost control of her SUV, running it off the side of the U.S. 29 bypass, near U.S. 60, on her way north to Charlottesville.

Amherst County emergency dispatchers received the call at 11:20 a.m.

Cromwell’s two children, 3 and 5 years old, were in the vehicle with her.

One child was transported to Lynchburg General Hospital with minor injuries. The other was airlifted to the University of Virginia Medical Center.

Brown said he didn’t know the condition of the child Saturday night.

Cromwell was pronounced dead at the scene.

Brown said it is unknown what caused the vehicle to run off the road, and the accident is still under investigation.

Officer D.I. Tinnell, who is investigating the accident, said all three occupants were wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash.

The second area wreck killed Thayer Botham, of Campbell County, after he lost control of his motorcycle and skidded into oncoming traffic at about 6:20 p.m., near the post office in Evington.

Botham was pronounced dead at the scene.

Trooper C.L. Thomas, with the Virginia State Police, said Botham, 37, was driving his 1998 Triumph west on Virginia 24, when he lost control in an S-curve.

His motorcycle skidded in front of a 1988 Chevrolet Suburban, driven by Dennis Fichtner, of Gladys.

Fichtner suffered no injuries in the crash, and Thomas said the Suburban suffered little damage.

The accident is under investigation, but Thomas said speed was not likely a factor.

Botham was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.