COUPLE FROM ENGLAND KILLED IN VEHICLE CRASH

On Tuesday, January 19, 2010 at around 2:30 p.m., Police, Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel were called to the scene of a two-vehicle crash in the 1900 block of Princess Anne Road.

Upon arrival, emergency personnel located a 1995 Ford Contour and a 1996 BMW.  The driver and passenger of the Contour, as well as the driver of the BMW were all pinned inside their vehicles and had to be extricated by Fire and EMS.  The passenger, Mary Jean Tonking, 72, was pronounced dead at the scene.  The driver of the Contour, Anthony Eden Tonking, 74, was taken to a local hospital where he later died from his injuries.  The driver of the BMW, Christopher D. Dockiewicz, 44, was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Fatal Crash Team investigators learned that the victims were traveling northbound on Princess Anne Road.  The preliminary investigation shows that Dockiewicz was traveling southbound on Princess Anne Road in excess of the speed limit and passing other traffic.  As he entered a sharp curve, Dockiewicz lost control of his vehicle. Dockiewicz’s vehicle then rotated to the left and into the path of the Contour.  Tonking was unable to stop due to the high speed of Dockiewicz and struck Dockiewicz’s vehicle on its passenger’s side.  Both of the Tonkings were wearing their seatbelts.

The Tonkings were from England and were here in Virginia Beach visiting family.

The suspect, Christopher Dockiewicz, is currently in the hospital.  He has been charged with DUI and two counts of Aggravated Manslaughter and was not granted bond. He will be transported to the Virginia Beach Correctional Center upon his release from the hospital. 

This crash remains under investigation by the Department’s Fatal Crash Team with MPO Scott Franklin as the lead investigator.