A Charlottesville teenager died this morning in a two-vehicle crash in Albemarle County, Virginia State Police said.

Her death and another fatality reported by State Police brought Virginia's highway death toll this year to 278, compared with 304 at the same time last year.

Police said Sydney Nichol Aichs, 16, died shortly after 7 a.m. when a tractor-trailer struck the driver's side of her car. The crash happened at North Seminole Trail and Ashwood Boulevard.

Aichs was wearing a seat belt, authorities said.

State police also reported the death of James D. Coates of Rippon, W.Va., who died shortly before 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday in Loudoun County after he was ejected from his truck on state Route 7, 1½ miles west of state Route 1330.

He was not wearing a seat belt, police said.

-- Linda Dunham