Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Reston Norbert Sebok, 29, and Jozsef Szathmari, 24, of Sterling were killed in a car crash in the early morning hours of Saturday, June 1. According to the investigation by Fairfax County Police, Manuel Alejandro Jimenez Benitez, 24, of Herndon drove his 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer south on Fairfax County Parkway when he suddenly went into the northbound lanes near the intersection of Sugarland Valley Drive.
The taxi driver, an unidentified 49-year-old male from Herndon, swerved slightly to avoid Benitez, but collided head on with the Trailblazer. Sebok and Szathmari, who police determined were not wearing seatbelts, died at the scene.
The taxi driver is currently at Inova Fairfax Hospital, where police say he is in "serious, life-threatening condition."
The two victims were recent immigrants from Hungary, who moved to Virginia approximately three months ago, and were in the process of obtaining work visas. They had rented a home on Youngs Cliff Road in Sterling.
Benitez remains in non-life threatening condition at Inova Fairfax Hospital. Police have charged him with two counts of aggravated involuntary manslaughter, and say he will be transported to the Adult Detention Center in Fairfax following his release from the hospital.
According to police, crash reconstruction detectives believe both alcohol and excessive speed on the part of Benitez were contributing factors to the crash.