I-495 Southside
A violent road-rage incident on Sunday afternoon in Fairfax County left multiple victims, including a 39-year-old woman and a dog, dead. Virginia Department of Transportation

A violent road-rage incident on Sunday afternoon in Fairfax County left multiple victims, including a 39-year-old woman and a dog, dead. The rampage ended when a Virginia State Police officer shot the suspect dead, authorities said.

According to investigators, the road-rage altercation unfolded at approximately 1:17 p.m. on Sunday, 1 March 2026, on the southbound Interstate 495 (I-495) in Fairfax County near Little River Turnpike in Annandale, roughly 30 minutes from Washington, D.C. A news release from the Virginia State Police stated that a woman had died from her fatal injuries.​

The police confirmed the identities of the victims as Michelle Adams, 39 years old, Mary C. Flood, 37 years old, Heather Miller, 40 years old, and Dana Bonnell, 36 years old. Michelle Adams has reportedly succumbed to her injuries and died. The suspect was identified as Jared Llamado, 32 years old, from McLean, Virginia. A dog also reportedly died from the incident.

Authorities said the attacks occurred after a crash and are not considered to be linked to terrorism, per WRGA News.

Minor Crash Turned Into Deadly Altercation

Police believe the violent episode began as a minor crash, which quickly escalated into road rage. Officers repeatedly attempted to get Llamado, who was aggressively confronting others on the highway, to comply, but he ignored commands and continued brandishing his weapon.

In a statement authorities gave to Fox News Digital, it was stated that before the trooper arrived, the suspect had already begun the stabbings. Following a review of the dispatch audio, it was also determined that the altercation 'started out as a property damage crash,' after which the suspect began 'stabbing people with a knife.'​

Reports from the police said that Jared Llamado engaged a trooper who had responded at the scene, prompting him to shoot. The suspect was taken to hospital but later died from his injuries. The trooper was unharmed.

The Virginia State Police wrote in a statement, 'A Virginia State Police trooper was called to the scene at approximately 1:17 p.m. for a reported road rage incident. When the trooper arrived on scene, he was confronted by a male suspect carrying a knife.'

The statement added that the officer acted in self-defence. 'The trooper then shot the suspect in self-defence. The suspect, Jared Llamado, 32, of McLean, Va., was transported to the hospital with serious injuries. Llamado later succumbed to those injuries. The trooper was not injured.'​

The state trooper has been placed on administrative leave while the investigation continues, per CBS News.

State Police said they are looking into what caused the crash, but have not disclosed the identities of the occupants of the vehicles, nor have they determined who may have been responsible, per The Washington Post.

The Aftermath: Deaths and Massive Traffic Jam

As a result of the road-rage incident, a massive traffic jam formed on the I-495 southbound lanes as a portion of the highway was shut down, snarling rush-hour commutes for several hours while authorities secured the scene and conducted their investigation.

The Virginia Department of Transportation's Northern Virginia office confirmed this, saying, 'I-495 and 495 Express Lanes southbound past Gallows Road is closed due to a major incident.'

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