Driver Acquitted in Strobel Death

The driver whose truck ran off the road and fatally struck an iconic local radio disc jockey while he walked a dog was acquitted of reckless driving today in Spotsylvania County General District Court.

Brian Strobel, 64, worked for the Free Lance-Star newspaper company for more than 40 years until he left the company's WFLS-FM radio station in 2007.

The driver, Ralph T. Rapillo, 42, called 911 and then exited his truck to try and help Strobel, said Spotsylvania County prosecutor Tom Shaia in an interview after the trial. Rapillo admitted he was the driver and almost a month after the fatal crash, Rapillo was charged with reckless driving, which carries up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine.

Shaia said Strobel was walking the dog about 5 to 8 feet off the road on a driveway when Rapillo's truck careened into a mailbox and struck Strobel. Shaia said there was evidence that Rapillo never used his brakes until after he ran into Strobel, but they couldn't show that he was speeding. There wasn't any evidence that Rapillo was on his cell phone, drinking or had used any drugs, Shaia said. 

The road where the crash occurred lacked any markings and the speed limit is 25 mph, Shaia said he presented in court. How Rapillo lost control of his vehicle was never answered in the trial.

"Taking your eye off the road by itself is not criminal reckless behavior," he said.

The Strobel family can file a civil lawsuit against the driver.

Defense attorney Mark Gardner represented Rapillo at trial.

"The why it happened has never been answered," Gardner said Tuesday evening. "I don't think he (Rapillo) knows."

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