The friends and family of Katie Mason are mourning her loss this week in her home state of Virginia, as well as everywhere else. The young woman was only 28 years old when she was killed on the I-95 highway, attempting to rescue her pug.
Mason was attending a wedding last Saturday and afterward headed home to get her beloved pug dog. Once she took the dog, she headed to meet up with a friend in Richmond. She was near the Exit 136 when – around 10 p.m. Saturday – her Toyota Camry veered into a guardrail.
This wasn’t the accident that caused her death, however, or at least not directly. When Katie opened her car door, Stella – her small, black pug, ran out the vehicle and into the I-95 traffic. Katie ran after the dog which is when both met their end.
Both Katie and Stella were struck and killed on the spot by a Honda Civic that couldn‘t stop in time. The Virginia State Police stated that the driver of the Honda was not to blame as there was no way he could’ve been able to swerve in time to avoid them.
Katie Mason was a beloved friend and a member of her family – she lived with her dog and parents in Aquia. She was also a member of the Virginia National Guard and she had spent time at Virginia Commonwealth University.
“Katie was always kind, sweet and had a huge personality,” News4 was told by a family friend. “It’s so heartbreaking.”
Fellow service members also shared their grief on social media.
“It’s a sad day for the 266th MP family. Rest in peace Katie Mason,” one wrote on Facebook.
“It’s hard to say goodbye to a colleague who has been less of a co-worker and more of a friend,” another coworker wrote.
