BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. — Two people are dead after a head-on crash in Morgan County that began as a road rage incident, authorities said.
According to the Morgan County Sheriff’s Department, Dennis Rhinehart, 76, of Berkeley Springs, was involved in an incident with another motorist on Route 9 in Berkeley County Wednesday. The incident continued into Morgan County. A driver told police Rhinehart used his truck to ram his vehicle and he was also allegedly threatening him. The Berkeley Springs police chief later spotted Rhinehart’s vehicle but Rhinehart wouldn’t stop.
A pursuit continued outside of Berkeley Springs on U.S. Route 522 where Rhinehart’s truck went across the center line and slammed into an oncoming pick-up that was carrying logs. The collision claimed the lives of both Rhinehart and the driver of the other truck, identified as Richard Keefer, 53, of Berkeley Springs.
Authorities said the body found in Rhinehart’s vehicle is presumed to be Rhinehart but it was burned beyond recognition.
“He is the owner of the vehicle, known to be driving the vehicle and a wallet found on the body possessed the driver’s license of Rhinehart,” a post on the Morgan County Sheriff’s Department Facebook page said.
A passenger in the Keefer truck was injured.
The collision occurred at approximately 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.