Drunk Driving Accidents

Underage Drinking May Be Responsible for North Potomac Crash that Claimed Two Teen’s Lives

July 2, 2015 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier last month in North Potomac, two teens were killed and two others injured in what investigators believe was a drunk driving accident. According to one local news report, the accident occurred on the 13800 block of Dufief Mill Road in North Potomac just before midnight.

Evidently, four teens were traveling together in a car when the driver unsuccessfully negotiated a curve in the roadway. The vehicle left the road, crashing into a tree and a nearby fence before ultimately coming to a rest on its roof. The two back-seat passengers were pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders. The driver and front-seat passenger both survived the wreck. However, the driver did sustain life-threatening injuries as a result. Police believe that the two teens in the back seat did not have their seatbelts on.

Police have told reporters that they believe alcohol and speed may have been involved in the fatal car accident. Apparently, police also received a lead that the teens were all at a party where they were drinking. Police have made contact with an adult who was allegedly at the home during the time of the party. There is no word on whether that adult will face criminal charges.

Upper Marlboro Man Found Guilty of Son’s Death in Reckless Driving Accident

June 17, 2015 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this month in Upper Marlboro, a man who was charged with motor-vehicle manslaughter in relation to an accident that resulted in his son’s death was found guilty and will be sentenced later this year in August. According to one local news report, the man was originally charged with driving under the influence of PCP, but the jury determined that the prosecution failed to prove that crime beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted him only under the motor-vehicle manslaughter charges.

Evidently, the fatal accident occurred on May 9, 2013, when the man charged above lost control of his vehicle. According to court documents, the man was heading south on Bladensburg Road at a high rate of speed. As he attempted to change lanes, he veered across the center line and into oncoming traffic. As he lost control, his vehicle crashed into several other vehicles before colliding with two utility poles, a tree, and ultimately a retaining wall.

In the car at the time of the accident was the man’s son as well as his girlfriend’s daughter. His girlfriend’s daughter sustained minor injuries but recovered. However, the man’s son was not secured in a car seat at the time of the accident and was ejected from the vehicle upon impact. The four-year-old boy died as a result of the injuries he sustained. The driver was also ejected and suffered life-threatening injuries, although he has since recovered.

Pennsylvania Police Search for Maryland Man Allegedly Involved in DUI Hit-and-Run Accident

May 26, 2015 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this month, police in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, were called to the scene of a hit-and-run accident at around three in the morning. According to one local news source, the hit-and-run driver waited at the scene until right before the police arrived and then fled the scene of the accident.

According to one eyewitness who was present at the scene, the driver exited his vehicle after the accident and pleaded with witnesses not to call police. He allegedly told them that he “isn’t drunk” and that he “would give them money” if they didn’t call the police. These same witnesses allegedly told police that they could smell alcohol on the man’s breath before he left the scene moments later.

Witnesses later told police that the driver crashed into several parked cars before disabling his own vehicle. One witness claimed that “it sounded like he bounced off the cars like a ping pong ball.” As the car approached the witness and his girlfriend, the man was forced to push his girlfriend out of the way of the oncoming vehicle.

Nanjemoy DUI Accident Claims the Life of Volunteer Fire Fighter

May 5, 2015 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this month in Nanjemoy, Maryland, one woman was killed in a traffic accident when another driver veered over the center line, colliding head-on with the woman’s car. According to a recent news report, the woman was both from Nanjemoy and a member of the Nanjemoy Volunteer Fire Department for the past five years.

Evidently, the volunteer fire fighter was traveling southbound on Maryland Route 425 just after 9:00 pm. At some point, a northbound Chevy Silverado inexplicably crossed over into her lane and collided with her vehicle head-on. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. The driver of the Silverado was taken to the hospital, although his injuries were much less serious and he is expected to make a full recovery.

Police told reporters that the driver of the Silverado failed to stay in his lane and crossed over the center line. They also told reporters that they believe alcohol played a role in the fatal accident. Charges against the driver of the Silverado are still pending.

Suspect Blasts Through Annapolis DUI Checkpoint and Injures Three Bystanders in Subsequent Chase

April 16, 2015 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Three people were injured and one man was arrested on March 17 after an allegedly intoxicated suspect drove through a DUI checkpoint and led police on a high-speed chase. According to a report from NBC affiliate WBAL, the chase continued through the streets of Annapolis, attracting a police helicopter to assist with stopping the suspect. The man eventually crashed into an intersection at a red light, hitting three other cars and causing his own car to go up in flames.

How Did the Chase Begin?

The suspect, a 39-year-old man from Baltimore driving a 2008 Honda Accord, approached a DUI checkpoint being operated by the Maryland State Highway Patrol Office in Annapolis. According to the article, the vehicle plowed into the checkpoint and swerved off erratically, after which authorities gave chase.

The man led police on a chase that resulted in a helicopter being called in. After the helicopter gave chase and the police cars gave the man some distance, he crashed his car as he tried unsuccessfully to drive through an intersection. Three other vehicles were involved, and three people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. The suspect was not injured and was arrested on charges of DUI, fleeing from police, and assault.

Wrong-Way Accident Kills Two in Queen Anne’s County, Alcohol Suspected to Be a Factor

March 24, 2015 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this month in Queen Anne’s county two people were killed in a traffic accident on Route 50 when a car unexpectedly began traveling the wrong way down the highway. According to a report by the local CBS affiliate, police dispatchers received numerous calls about a car driving wildly down Route 50 over the course a few minutes. However, by the time they were able to respond, the damage had been done.

One driver told reporters that she was on Route 50 when the driver flew by at a high rate of speed. At some point shortly after that, she recalls the driver getting into the left lane of traffic and making a wide U-turn into oncoming traffic.

Evidently, the 25-year-old driver who was traveling the wrong way down Route 50 has a history of similar conduct, including a prior DUI and also a prior charge for driving the wrong way on the highway. Unfortunately, this time tragedy ensued when he collided head-on with another car, killing both inside instantly as the car went up in flames.

Middletown Accident Claims the Life of One Woman

March 10, 2015 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Late last month. one woman was killed in Middletown, Maryland when she was involved in an accident with a pick-up truck. According to one local news source, the accident occurred around eight in the evening on a Thursday night.

Evidently, the accident occurred on Route 40A when the driver of a pick-up truck that was heading westbound crossed over into the eastbound lane. As the truck crossed over into oncoming traffic, it collided head-on with a Toyota Corolla.

The passenger in the Corolla sustained serious injuries in the accident. She was taken to the hospital but was unable to overcome her injuries and died a short time later. The driver of the pick-up truck was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The driver of the Corolla was also hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries.

Silver Springs DUI Accident Results in One Woman’s Death

March 3, 2015 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier last month, one woman was killed while she was waiting for the bus when she was hit by a drunk driver. According to one local news report, the tragic accident occurred on the 1100 block of Cresthaven Drive just after 11 in the morning.

A witness to the accident told police that the driver was seen erratically driving a red 2005 Nissan X-Terra shortly before the accident. At some point, the driver crossed over into the left lane and hit the victim, who was waiting near a Ride On bus stop. After hitting the woman, the driver vehicle continued on, eventually hitting a 1999 Buick that was parked on Park Avenue and then a 2010 Ford Focus that was parked in a nearby driveway.

Police arrived on the scene and immediately took the driver into custody for suspicion of drunk driving. The results of the driver’s blood-alcohol content are still outstanding, but it is expected that the results will show that he was legally intoxicated. Changes against the driver are pending, awaiting the result of the investigation.

Maryland Woman Arrested for DUI with a BAC over Four Times the Legal Limit

October 23, 2014 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this week in Deer Park, a woman was arrested after she crashed into a car while driving drunk. According to a report by one local news source, a couple was driving along State Road 219 when another driver pulled in front of them, cutting them off.

Due to the driver cutting off the couple, the two cars collided in a minor collision. However, rather than stop and ensure that everyone was all right, the woman kept on driving. The couple followed her for several miles, honking their horn and flashing their lights, trying to get her to stop. They were also able to get the car’s license plate number and call police.

When police finally tracked the woman down, she was at home and admitted to driving while she was drunk and also apologized for hitting the people. A blood test was given to the woman, and the results indicated that her blood-alcohol content was .33, which is one-third of her blood. She was immediately arrested and charged with driving under the influence and also with fleeing the scene of an accident.

Single-Vehicle Accident Takes the Life of One Fifteen-Year-Old and Injures Two Others

September 3, 2014 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this week in Montgomery County, a fatal single-vehicle accident claimed the life of one teen and injured two others. According to a report by CBS DC, the accident occurred in Olney, near Hines Road and Macduff Avenue.

While police are still piecing together the facts from the accident, they believe that around one in the morning a Chrysler 200 convertible was heading east on Hines Road when it suddenly left the roadway and struck a tree before reaching Macduff Avenue. After crashing through the tree, the car continued across Macduff Avenue, crashing into a street light pole and a telephone box before rolling over and finally coming to a rest.

The car was being driven by a 17-year-old and had two other teens as passengers. The teen in the back seat of the Chrysler was ejected during the accident and was taken into the hospital with life-threatening injuries. Unfortunately, shortly after being admitted to the hospital, the young boy succumbed to his injuries.