The northbound lanes of the Baltimore Washington Parkway were closed earlier today after a fatal car accident that caused a vehicle to run off the road, roll over, and burst into flames, killing the driver. The vehicle that crashed into the car and forced it off the road fled the scene. Reports from the Washington Post, quoting Park Police officials, indicate that the search for the driver that caused the crash is ongoing.
Police have not yet revealed the name of the deceased driver. Police are interviewing witnesses and looking for the driver of the Lincoln Continental that crashed into the rear of the deceased's vehicle and fled the scene.
The law in Maryland requires the driver of a vehicle involved in a crash causing injuries to stay at the scene of the collision. This is common sense; the injured party needs help and the most likely callers for help are the involved drivers, the scene of the crash may be dangerous and the driver can warn others, and the investigating officer needs to interview all drivers to know what happened. A driver who flees the scene does so at his or her own peril, facing both traffic charges and civil claims.
The investigation of this fatal car accident is ongoing. It is not yet known what caused the crash, and whether the striking driver of the Lincoln Continental may have been distracted in the moments before the crash. One hopes he or she was not texting while driving, which is illegal in Maryland. .
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the driver killed in the crash.