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Prince Edward County, VA (January 20, 2026) – A head-on collision caused by a wrong-way driver on Piney Grove Rd tragically claimed the life of a woman and left another person injured Wednesday evening, according to Virginia State Police.
Troopers responded to the crash on January 14, around 0.3 miles west of Prince Edward Hwy. The initial investigation revealed that a man from Farmville was driving a Saturn Vue in the wrong lane when he collided head-on with an Infiniti G37 traveling in the correct direction.
Following the impact, the Saturn ran off the roadway and struck a utility pole. Inside the Infiniti were a female driver and her passenger, 42-year-old Bridgette Lafon Bowen. Tragically, Bowen died from her injuries at the scene. The driver of the Infiniti sustained injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
The driver of the Saturn Vue was reportedly uninjured in the crash. Authorities have not released additional details regarding potential charges or contributing factors, but the investigation remains active.
This devastating incident highlights the danger of wrong-way driving, especially on narrow or rural roadways. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the family of Bridgette Lafon Bowen, and we wish a full and timely recovery to the injured driver.
