Former Bonny Eagle High School teacher killed in Virginia crash

Kelley Bouchard, Portland Press Herald, Maine
·1 min read

Nov. 22—Virginia State Police on Monday identified a Buxton man who died Saturday in a crash while traveling north on Interstate 81 in Augusta County, Virginia.

Mark J. Fanning, 76, was killed when a tractor-trailer merging southbound onto the highway from Interstate 64 went through a guardrail and landed in the northbound lanes of Interstate 81, police said.

The tractor-trailer, which was carrying chicken waste, hit a 2017 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck that was carrying Fanning as a passenger, according to The Northern Virginia Daily.

The pickup was driven by Fanning's wife, Cynthia Fanning, 58, who was transported to a nearby hospital with serious injuries and was listed in critical condition Monday, the Staunton News Leader reported. Both were wearing seat belts, police said.

The tractor-trailer was driven by Ronald Wegner, 59, of Broadway, Virginia, who also sustained serious injuries and was charged with reckless driving. Information about his condition was unavailable Monday.

Fanning was a renowned falconer and a beloved science teacher at Bonny Eagle High School for many years before his retirement, neighbors said.

The crash remains under investigation.