HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) — Virginia State Police say a man who originally claimed he was a passenger in a fatal crash on Interstate 64 in Hampton in February lied to police.
Police say 23-year-old Kalik Kydarial Newsome was not a passenger, but the driver in the fatal crash, which killed 23-year-old Newport News resident Robert Lee Ham II.
Newsome is charged with involuntary manslaughter, felony elude and DUI second offense.
Police say Newsome turned himself in Oct. 2 at the Hampton City Jail.
According to information given in a preliminary statement from Newsome, Ham was driving a 2017 Honda Civic with Newsome as a passenger around 10:30 p.m. Feb. 7.
When the incident happened, police said a trooper saw the Honda traveling fast down I-64 eastbound, west of the Hampton River Bridge.
The trooper attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver accelerated and refused to pull over, driving more than 100 mph.
As the driver tried to exit onto Mallory Street, he lost control of the vehicle. The car overturned several times.
Newsome was ejected from the vehicle. Ham was located inside of the car. Police said Ham was not wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash.
Newsome suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.
Newsome gave a statement saying Ham was the driver of the vehicle, which police now say is false based on further investigation and a statement from a witness to the crash.
Newsome was indicted by a grand jury on charges of involuntary manslaughter, felony elude and DUI second offense Sept. 8, 2020.
