Jalal Bashiruddin. Photo courtesy of Facebook.

Jalal Tasawar Bashiruddin, 23, of Woodbridge died in a car crash early on the morning of Sept. 8, 2013.

He had attended Northern Virginia Community College, where he was very active in the Young Democrats, and recently began his first semester at George Mason University.

Bashiruddin was pursuing a bachelor’s of science in public administration with a concentration in economics, according to his LinkedIn profile. He graduated from Woodbridge High School in 2009 and expected to complete his studies at GMU in 2014.

He spent this past summer interning at the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington. Before that, he volunteered with Organizing For America. Online, he listed his motto as: There is always purpose.

On one of his online profiles, Bashiruddin stated: “I enjoy writing. It is important to express how you feel more than ever in this changing world. So much is occurring, and the political, social and cultural events are something that I want to document in some way or form.”

Bashiruddin was driving a 1999 Mercedes C230 on Dale Boulevard near the Forrestdale Shopping Center in Dale City just before 6 a.m. on Sunday when the vehicle went off of the road, struck a median and then hit a tree. Police said Bashiruddin, the only occupant, wasn’t wearing a seatbelt.

He was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead

According to police, alcohol and speed could be factors in the crash.

A funeral will be held Sept. 10 in Manassas. Bashiruddin’s Facebook page is already filled with memorials from friends, classmates and colleagues.

KJ Mushung is the Newspaper Training Director for NOVA Fortnightly and a reporter for Potomac Local News.

By: KJ Mushung

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