Hanover County, VA — March 23, 2025, A man was killed following a car accident that occurred at around 9:10 A.M. on I-95.

An investigation is underway following a car accident that left one person dead during the morning hours of March 23rd. According to official reports, James Benincasa was operating a Mercedes van and was traveling on I-95 in the northbound lanes near Lewistown Road, when for unknown reasons the vehicle lost control and left the roadway and struck multiple trees before catching fire.

When first responders arrived on the scene, they found that Benincasa had sustained fatal injuries and he was pronounced deceased. Currently there has been no further information released from the accident, however this remains an ongoing investigation and more details may be released by authorities in the future.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

A recent incident on the morning of March 23rd involving a Mercedes van on I-95 near Lewistown Road resulted in a fatal outcome after the vehicle left the roadway, struck multiple trees, and caught fire. While official details are still limited, this scenario calls for a careful and structured examination using three foundational questions: (1) Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash? (2) Has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash? (3) Has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected?

At this point, it's been reported that the vehicle left the northbound lanes of I-95 for reasons that are still unknown. In cases like this—where no other vehicles are directly involved—it’s common for the public to assume that the cause lies solely with the driver. But that assumption can lead to premature conclusions. A proper investigation by authorities should involve a detailed analysis of physical evidence at the scene, vehicle trajectory, environmental conditions, and any eyewitness accounts. The presence of fire and a high-impact crash pattern also raise the bar for how thorough that investigation needs to be, especially since key evidence may have been damaged or destroyed.

It's equally important to consider the role a potential vehicle defect might have played. A modern Mercedes van contains a variety of electronic and mechanical systems, any of which could malfunction under certain conditions. Could a failure in the steering system have caused the driver to lose control? Was there an issue with the brakes, tires, or the vehicle’s electronic stability control? These questions often go unasked unless someone outside of law enforcement takes the initiative to conduct an independent inspection. Without that step, critical information about the vehicle's condition could remain hidden.

Finally, one of the most valuable sources of information in today’s vehicles is the electronic control modules, or ECMs. These systems can capture and store key operational data such as speed, brake application, throttle input, and steering actions leading up to the crash. This electronic data can provide a clear, objective record of how the vehicle was functioning and how it was being operated at critical moments. However, accessing and preserving this data requires prompt and deliberate action. If the vehicle has been towed, salvaged, or otherwise altered before the data is secured, that valuable information may be lost permanently.

Until these three questions are fully addressed, we can't confidently say we understand what caused this crash. A truly thorough investigation doesn’t just seek to close a case—it seeks to uncover every possible factor, including those that may not be immediately visible. That process is essential not only to understanding this incident, but also to improving road and vehicle safety going forward.