CRASH: 3 adults, 3 children injured: no one wearing seatbelts; children not secured

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Almost hard to believe that in 2017 some folks still do not wear seatbelts or secure the children in the car...

At 8:06 pm on Sunday, April 23, 2017, units from the Calvert County Sheriff's Office and the Maryland State Police responded to the area of northbound Maryland Route 2/4 and White Sands Drive Lusby, in reference to a serious single vehicle crash. A preliminary investigation revealed an unknown truck towing a trailer with what appeared to be "children's playground equipment", dropped a large green plastic pipe (part if a slide) in lane #2 on the northbound side of Maryland Route 2/4. A blue 2004 Ford Explorer, operated by Bertina Thompson (26 of Lusby), was traveling northbound in lane #2, swerved to the right to avoid the debris in the roadway. In an attempt to steer back into lane #2, the Sport Utility vehicle over corrected and induced a spin in a counter-clockwise direction. Roadway evidence indicated that the front right tire rolled (off the rim) causing the vehicle to rollover 3 times in the roadway.

During the rollover:

-- The driver, Bertina Thompson (26 of Lusby): was not wearing her seatbelt.

-- a 5-year-old female child, name withheld, who was seated in the third row bench seat, unbelted/unsecured/no child safety seat (exact position unknown), was ejected from the vehicle.

-- The front right passenger was identified as Bertha Thompson (58 of Lusby) and was not wearing her seatbelt.

-- Rudolph Mackall (62 of Huntingtown) was seated in the right seat of the second row bench seat and was not wearing his seatbelt.

-- A female infant (2 months), name withheld, was seated in the second row middle seat, in a carrier, but was not secured.

-- A 10-year-old female juvenile, name withheld, was seated in the third row bench seat, exact position unknown, and was also not secured by a seat belt.

INJURIES:

-- Bertina Thompson, the driver, sustained serious injuries and was flown by MSP Aviation Medivac Trooper 7 to Washington Hospital Center (Medstar), where she is listed in serious but stable condition.

-- The 5-year-old, who was ejected, was also transported by Trooper 7 to Children's National Medical Center (Washington, DC), where she is listed in critical condition with life threatening injuries.

-- Rudolph Mackall and Bertha Thompson were transported to Calvert Memorial Hospital by ground transport with non-life threatening injuries.

-- The 10-year-old female Juvenile and the 2-month-old infant female were transported by MSP Aviation Medivac Trooper 2 to Children's National Medical Center, where they are both listed as stable and being treated for non-life threatening injuries.

This investigation is ongoing. If anyone has information regarding the truck/trailer combination transporting the playground equipment, please contact DFC. Hardesty or Cpl. Moschetto of the Calvert County Sheriff's Crash Reconstruction Team (410)535-2800.

** Corrected original title: there were 3 adults and 3 children
 

Clem72

Well-Known Member
Assuming everyone lives, there's two grand parents that should never be allowed to visit those kids unsupervised again (and may not if they get the correct prison sentence).
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
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For adults to not wear their seatbelt - meh, that's on them. But not securing your kids is just stupid, especially the infant.
 

MyDarlin

MyDarlin
My husband and I and our 2 kids watched it happen in HORROR, including the 5 y/o lying on the pavement.
Aside from the seatbelts not being worn, the fact that such a large piece of debris was lying in the middle of Rt. 4 is an act of negligence. Whomever was driving a white truck that dropped that debris, did NOT have it secured properly. When they circled around to go pick it up they saw the accident - and kept going. SHAME ON YOU!
This really could have happened to anyone with much more dire circumstances. I pray these precious children heal quickly.
 
My husband and I and our 2 kids watched it happen in HORROR, including the 5 y/o lying on the pavement.
Aside from the seatbelts not being worn, the fact that such a large piece of debris was lying in the middle of Rt. 4 is an act of negligence. Whomever was driving a white truck that dropped that debris, did NOT have it secured properly. When they circled around to go pick it up they saw the accident - and kept going. SHAME ON YOU!
This really could have happened to anyone with much more dire circumstances. I pray these precious children heal quickly.

Were you able to get info on this truck to pass to the police?
 

MADPEBS1

Man, I'm still here !!!
Please call and tell whatever you can to piloce !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This investigation is ongoing. If anyone has information regarding the truck/trailer combination transporting the playground equipment, please contact DFC. Hardesty or Cpl. Moschetto of the Calvert County Sheriff's Crash Reconstruction Team (410)535-2800.lease
 

DEEKAYPEE8569

Well-Known Member
Almost hard to believe that in 2017 some folks still do not wear seatbelts or secure the children in the car...

At 8:06 pm on Sunday, April 23, 2017, units from the Calvert County Sheriff's Office and the Maryland State Police responded to the area of northbound Maryland Route 2/4 and White Sands Drive Lusby, in reference to a serious single vehicle crash. A preliminary investigation revealed an unknown truck towing a trailer with what appeared to be "children's playground equipment", dropped a large green plastic pipe (part if a slide) in lane #2 on the northbound side of Maryland Route 2/4. A blue 2004 Ford Explorer, operated by Bertina Thompson (26 of Lusby), was traveling northbound in lane #2, swerved to the right to avoid the debris in the roadway. In an attempt to steer back into lane #2, the Sport Utility vehicle over corrected and induced a spin in a counter-clockwise direction. Roadway evidence indicated that the front right tire rolled (off the rim) causing the vehicle to rollover 3 times in the roadway.
Because it was probably too low on air; and/or Bertina was speeding. Tires don't 'roll off the rim' if they are properly inflated. It's right there on the inside of the driver's door folks.
 

Kinnakeet

Well-Known Member
because it was probably too low on air; and/or bertina was speeding. Tires don't 'roll off the rim' if they are properly inflated. It's right there on the inside of the driver's door folks.

exactly! The sticker inside the drivers side is what you inflate your tires to not what the tire or your friends say..god please help the little one
 

Clem72

Well-Known Member
exactly! The sticker inside the drivers side is what you inflate your tires to not what the tire or your friends say..god please help the little one

You know, unless you have non OEM tires which may be possible on a 12 year old car. Assuming the tires are rated for the load, the tire PSI requirement may be more accurate.
 

jap1213

New Member
Assuming everyone lives, there's two grand parents that should never be allowed to visit those kids unsupervised again (and may not if they get the correct prison sentence).
Why the grandparents? The 26 year old was driving, they could have all been her children.
 

Forkian

Member
What the hell is wrong with people? Every adult that was in this vehicle should face some serious felony charges for allowing this to happen.


I hope that the injured children recover quickly. Very sad!
 

Clem72

Well-Known Member
Why the grandparents? The 26 year old was driving, they could have all been her children.

I somehow missed the 26 year old and assumed only the older couple were present. Either way, they are all negligent. Criminally so.
 

DEEKAYPEE8569

Well-Known Member
You know, unless you have non OEM tires which may be possible on a 12 year old car. Assuming the tires are rated for the load, the tire PSI requirement may be more accurate.
Clem, you can get the proper tires for even a 12 year old vehicle. I myself have a '99 pickup with newer tires; replaced when the originals were no longer roadworthy. Getting the proper replacement tire involves reading those teeny tiny letters/numbers on the sidewall. That's all..... The tire inflation placard on the driver-side door is "recommended tire inflation." That, you can adjust, depending on what the vehicle; any vehicle is used for; basic transportation (1.5-2 lbs. below recommended). Heavy load carrying (1.5-2 lbs. above recommended). I have done this for as long as I've been driving and have achieved even tire wear; the exception(s) being the stray need for front-end alignment.
Apologies for the momentary hijacking folks.....
 

Clem72

Well-Known Member
Clem, you can get the proper tires for even a 12 year old vehicle. I myself have a '99 pickup with newer tires; replaced when the originals were no longer roadworthy. Getting the proper replacement tire involves reading those teeny tiny letters/numbers on the sidewall. That's all..... The tire inflation placard on the driver-side door is "recommended tire inflation." That, you can adjust, depending on what the vehicle; any vehicle is used for; basic transportation (1.5-2 lbs. below recommended). Heavy load carrying (1.5-2 lbs. above recommended). I have done this for as long as I've been driving and have achieved even tire wear; the exception(s) being the stray need for front-end alignment.
Apologies for the momentary hijacking folks.....


All true, but only if you get the same class tire as the OEM. I didn't say the tire wasn't available, I said they may not have purchased the same as the OEM. You have never seen a truck or SUV with much larger than stock tires? How about someone that hoopied their 70s/80s Lincoln or Cadillac with small tires? Or what if they didn't have your tire in stock but they did have one 8cm wider, and you need to replace that flat to get home?
 

DEEKAYPEE8569

Well-Known Member
All true, but only if you get the same class tire as the OEM. I didn't say the tire wasn't available, I said they may not have purchased the same as the OEM. You have never seen a truck or SUV with much larger than stock tires? How about someone that hoopied their 70s/80s Lincoln or Cadillac with small tires? Or what if they didn't have your tire in stock but they did have one 8cm wider, and you need to replace that flat to get home?
Yes, I have seen trucks/SUV's with larger than OEM wheels and/or tires; here and on the left coast.

I was taught not to mess with trying to recalculate wheel diameter and tire sidewall height. Just replace the worn out OEM tires with the same size(s); instead of trying to refit new, larger diameter wheels and lower profile tires in the same space as the OEM stuff. I've been a passenger in cars like that and they ride like dump trucks because the low profile tires were inflated so high to compensate for the lack of sidewall.

Hoopied? :lol: It's Hooptie'd. :biggrin: And yes, I've seen cars like that too. I refer to my previous statement. I want to get an aftermarket set of wheels for my Mazda one day. The plan is to swap 4 for 4; not changing wheel sizes OR tire sizes. Why? Because I'm not raising or lowering anything. Those two processes are where problems can arise.....tires rubbing inner fenders or splash panels on uneven pavement; tire scuffing on the same surfaces while turning. C'mon, surely you know all the considerations that need to be considerated :snort: and the math that has to be done. I SUCK at math. That's why I'm not changing wheel or tire sizes.
 

frequentflier

happy to be living
My husband and I and our 2 kids watched it happen in HORROR, including the 5 y/o lying on the pavement.
Aside from the seatbelts not being worn, the fact that such a large piece of debris was lying in the middle of Rt. 4 is an act of negligence. Whomever was driving a white truck that dropped that debris, did NOT have it secured properly. When they circled around to go pick it up they saw the accident - and kept going. SHAME ON YOU!This really could have happened to anyone with much more dire circumstances. I pray these precious children heal quickly.

:yeahthat:
 

Editor

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There are plenty of lessons that can be learned from this one. I think that's more important than looking for someone to blame/punish.

Were people properly restrained, there would have probably been minor injuries at best.

One thing that no one mentioned is that they might have been travelling too closely to the vehicle(s) in front of them and thus did not have time to properly react to something in the road ahead. Tailgating and following too closely is an epidemic in this area. Too many people trying to occupy the same space, lack of proper driver's education and increasing lack of empathy for fellow human beings.
 

DEEKAYPEE8569

Well-Known Member
There are plenty of lessons that can be learned from this one. I think that's more important than looking for someone to blame/punish.

Were people properly restrained, there would have probably been minor injuries at best.

One thing that no one mentioned is that they might have been travelling too closely to the vehicle(s) in front of them and thus did not have time to properly react to something in the road ahead. Tailgating and following too closely is an epidemic in this area. Too many people trying to occupy the same space, lack of proper driver's education and increasing lack of empathy for fellow human beings.
This is true, however.....around here, if you drive like you're supposed to; and you leave even one car length in front of you; let alone two or three; somebody is going to cut you off; usually without signaling; and/or slam on the brakes, which takes your safe driving out of the equation. So, you can't win, really. Yeah, I sound like an old grump, but I was born-n-raised here; as are many others here on this forum, I'm sure, but driving used to be FUN, even when it was necessary; now, not so much.....
 

officeguy

Well-Known Member
Because it was probably too low on air; and/or Bertina was speeding. Tires don't 'roll off the rim' if they are properly inflated. It's right there on the inside of the driver's door folks.

2004 was already a Third generation explorer. By then, they were supposed to have fixed the rollover problem of the prior model. They still had a high center of gravity and poor suspension and are more prone to rollovers than other vehicles. From what I understand this was a simple rollover without impact into anything stationary. Adults in seatbelts and kids in proper restraints, everyone would have crawled out of that car with some bumps and bruises.
 
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