Driver Identified, Arrested In Crash That Closed Manassas Park Schools Tuesday

Manassas Park Police have now released the identity of a man they say is the driver of a tractor trailer that crashed into several utility poles, ultimately closing two of the city's four schools on Tuesday. 

Officials initially announced someone had been charged with the crash, but didn't immediately release the identity of that person, or if a formal arrest had been made.

Police now say 51-year-old Kevin Holgate of Nicholson, PA was arrested and charged with reckless driving in the case. 

He is expected to appear in court on May 16.

Holgate was driving a 1999 Peterbuilt 18-wheeler early Tuesday morning when the truck somehow hit at least three utility poles near the intersection of Euclid and Manassas Drive, police said.

Several electrical lines were also hit. Workers from the city's power provider, Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative, spent much of the day Tuesday repairing the damage.

The city's school buses are kept in a lot behind Manassas Park Middle School; there was no way to safely get to the middle or high schools, so school division administrators had no choice but to cancel classes for the entire division, school Superintendent Dr. Bruce McDade said in an earlier report. 

Administrators won't cancel classes at some schools and have them continue at other, but rather, will have the entire school division work under the same schedule.

Many Manassas Park residents and parents logged on to Patch and responded to news of the crash and the cancellation of classes on Tuesday.

Here are some of the comments left under the story: Driver Charged in Crash That Damaged Power Lines, Closed Manassas Park Schools.

"There should be another road built to get to the schools and businesses in that area not just one way in and one way out that's ridiculous. They also need sidewalks built for the kids that walk to school.

Right now they walk in the street because the side is all messed up and if a driver is coming through there in the dark you can not see the kids until you get right up on them. It's very unsafe down Euclid ave towards the schools!!!!!!!" -Toni Fewell

"There should be a way to connect the end of Euclid with the Maplewood/Oak/Lake area, but I HIGHLY doubt the people living there would want that. Otherwise, you have the train tracks to the east. Not many options. How about Park Center Ct (behind city hall) connected to Venture Ct? That would help with some traffic." -Mises

"On the sidewalk note, wasn't there an article last year sometime about a sidewalk plan? What happened to that???? I too drive my daughter to school and am shocked at the conditions that the kids have to walk in and if a huge tractor trailer can't miss a large power pole, whats to say it will be able to see the kids?

On the note about what happened yesterday, it is very concerning that you have not only alot of businesses, but 2 schools full of children that have 1 entry/exit route!?

Really, what sense does that make? So had this happened during school hours, please advise how the kids would have gotten out? This may not be the forum for these comments, but with already crowded schools and 2 new developments being built, the school system needs to consider some of these things." —Swimmom.