Police Release Name of Victim From Tornado Event
September 18, 2018
Police
CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, VA –
Police said Ronald Douglas Bishop, 60, died when the building he was in collapsed as the tornado moved through the area. Bishop, of the 11000 block of Coalboro Road, was an employee of the business that was severely damaged.
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CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -
One person was killed after a building in Chesterfield County was hit by a tornado and collapsed Monday afternoon.
The roof of Old Dominion Floor Co. Inc., on Speeks Drive in western Chesterfield County, reportedly collapsed after a tornado slammed the business.
On Tuesday, the National Weather Service confirmed that an EF-2 tornado touched down on Speeks Drive with wind speeds up to 125 mph.
Authorities said the person killed was 60-year-old Ronald D. Bishop, who was an employee of the business.
One other employee was transported to an area hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
Our sister station WRIC spoke with Eric Webster, an employee at Old Dominion Floor Co. Inc., about the tragedy.
"We were blessed to have him there," said Webster.
Webster has worked for the company for about a year, so he didn't know the victim well, but said that for the short time they knew each other, the victim made an impact on Webster's life."He was a very good man. Like he'd always lighten up people that were around him," said Webster.
Webster was supposed to be inside the building today during the storm but luckily was sent home.
"But one of the managers let me go home early today of all days," said Webster, "and then there was just instant panic in my house."
Also weighing heavy on him, Webster works in the far end of the building.
"Just thinking about the fact that if I was there, what would have happened, and just stuff like that," Webster said. It's just, I can't even think man."