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ANNANDALE, Virginia, January 8, 2026 – A Fairfax County family is grappling with unimaginable grief and demanding accountability after a driver traveling at over 100 mph, according to Virginia State Police, caused a Christmas Day crash that claimed the lives of a grandmother and a high school student. The driver, whose name has not yet been released, remains free as the Vu family mourns.
Family Seeks Justice After Tragic Holiday Crash
The Vu family is calling for more serious charges than reckless driving in the wake of the fatal collision.
- The Vu family was returning home from a Christmas Day dinner when their van was rear-ended on I-495 in Fairfax County.
- Su Nguyen, 75, and her granddaughter, Annie Vu, 15, were killed in the crash.
- virginia State Police reported the other driver was traveling over 100 mph at the time of the impact.
- The family is pushing for involuntary manslaughter charges, believing reckless driving is insufficient.
Duy Cao was driving the van when it was struck. Her mother, Su Nguyen, and daughter, annie Vu, died at the scene. “I don’t know how to go on living,” Cao said, visibly distraught alongside her husband, An Vu, as they continue to recover from their own injuries.
Six people were in the van at the time of the crash, including Annie’s 12-year-old brother, Andy, who was also rushed to the emergency room. “when (andy) left there, his frist question was, ‘Where’s Annie?'” recalled Kathie Vu, Annie’s godmother. Andy was released from the hospital four days ago and is struggling to cope with the loss.
Nguyen, a devout Catholic, immigrated to the United States at age 11 and dedicated her life to caring for her family and grandchildren. Annie Vu was a promising student at Annandale High School, described by the principal as hardworking, respectful, and cooperative. She had aspirations to study biology at the University of Virginia and dedicate her career to helping others.
Annandale High School Principal shared Annie’s introductory remarks from an AP Seminar class at the beginning of the school year. She told her classmates that they could count on her to always be hard-working, respectful and cooperative. She also shared that her grandmother taught her to speak a little Vietnamese and expressed her desire to pursue a career in the health field, hoping to help others.
“The other day,I heard my brother-in-law say,’There won’t be any more Christmases,'” said Kathie Vu,reflecting on the family’s profound loss. “You’re always going to come to this time of year thinking about what happened.”
The Vu family is demanding answers and a more severe prosecution. While the Fairfax County prosecutor has indicated reckless driving charges have been filed, confirmation through court records remains pending. Virginia State Police have not yet released the driver’s name or details of the charges.
Prosecutors are currently awaiting the results of a toxicological test, which will determine the full extent of the charges the driver will face. The family believes a misdemeanor charge is inadequate and is advocating for a charge of involuntary manslaughter.
