ROANOKE, Va. — Thirty-year-old Jose Saenz Ventura of Roanoke tragically lost his life following a fatal Memorial Day crash in northwest Roanoke, while 42-year-old Kenneth Lynn Campbell Jr. has been arrested and charged in connection with the deadly collision, according to Roanoke Police.
Authorities said officers responded around 11:23 a.m. on May 25, 2026, to the intersection of Lafayette Boulevard and Melrose Avenue NW after reports of a serious crash involving two vehicles. When officers arrived at the scene, they located a Chevrolet Equinox abandoned and unoccupied, along with a heavily damaged Honda Civic containing two injured occupants.
Emergency responders transported both occupants of the Civic to a local hospital for treatment. Police later confirmed that Jose Saenz Ventura, who had been driving the Civic, died from injuries sustained in the collision. A passenger inside the vehicle suffered non-life-threatening injuries and received medical treatment.
According to investigators, the driver and passenger of the Chevrolet Equinox fled the scene on foot immediately after the crash. Officers later located both individuals in the 900 block of Crescent Street NW a short time later.
Police identified the driver of the Equinox as Kenneth Lynn Campbell Jr. He was taken into custody and charged with involuntary manslaughter and felony hit-and-run.
Preliminary findings from the investigation indicate that Ventura was traveling southbound on Lafayette Boulevard with a green light while attempting to turn left onto eastbound Melrose Avenue. Authorities allege Campbell was driving westbound on Melrose Avenue when he ran a red light and collided with the Civic.
The crash remains under active investigation as family, friends, and the Roanoke community mourn the tragic loss of Jose Saenz Ventura.
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