Kaden Ashby Accident – Death, Obituary: Raleigh County Man Among Four Killed in Charleston I-77/I-64 Crash

Kaden Ashby, 21, of Raleigh County, West Virginia, was among four people killed in a devastating single-vehicle crash near the I-77/I-64 split in Charleston on Friday night, August 21, 2026. Charleston police identified Ashby along with James McDaniel, 20, Colten Garcia, 20, and Kaiden Radford, 21, as the four victims.

The fatal crash happened at approximately 10:52 p.m. near the Interstate 77 and Interstate 64 interchange. Police said the vehicle was traveling eastbound when it struck a concrete median barrier, went over the elevated interstate and fell into the Martin Marietta Charleston Yard below on Pennsylvania Avenue. All four occupants died at the scene.

Kaden Ashby remembered

Ashby was one of four young men whose lives were suddenly cut short in the Charleston collision. His death has brought grief to family members, friends and others across Raleigh County.

Information shared in a fundraising appeal described Ashby as a young entrepreneur who was building a lawn-care business. The appeal also remembered him as someone who cared deeply about his friends and was willing to listen and help when people needed him.

His sudden death has left those closest to him struggling to come to terms with a loss that occurred without warning.

Four victims identified

Charleston police confirmed the victims as:

• Kaden Ashby, 21
• James McDaniel, 20
• Colten Garcia, 20
• Kaiden Radford, 21

Police said all four were from Raleigh County.

The crash occurred just minutes after the group had reportedly been in the Charleston area for a Jason Aldean concert, although the concert connection has not been identified as a factor in the collision by police.

Investigation into Charleston crash continues

The Charleston Police Department’s Investigation Unit continues to examine what caused the vehicle to leave the elevated roadway. Authorities have not publicly established whether speed, road conditions, mechanical problems or another factor contributed to the crash.

The location has attracted additional attention because another vehicle went over a barrier in the same general area earlier in the week. Transportation officials are reviewing a series of crashes near the interchange.

Family and community mourn

The deaths of Kaden Ashby, James McDaniel, Colten Garcia and Kaiden Radford have left multiple West Virginia families grieving at the same time.

For Ashby’s loved ones, the focus now is on remembering his life, his relationships and the future he was working toward. Funeral and memorial arrangements should be confirmed through his family or an authorized funeral home as they become available.

Kaden Ashby will be remembered as a 21-year-old Raleigh County resident, friend and aspiring entrepreneur whose life ended tragically in the Charleston crash. The investigation remains ongoing.