FOUR FATALITIES IN STATE POLICE MEDEVAC CRASH IN PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY
(Forestville, MD) -- Four of five people aboard a Maryland State Police medevac helicopter have been killed in a crash that occurred early this morning in Prince George’s County.
The fatalities include the State Police pilot and flight paramedic, a fire/rescue medical provider, and a patient. A second patient on-board survived the crash and has been transported to the Prince George’s Hospital Center. The crash occurred within a wooded area of the Walker Mill Regional Park, off of Berry Lane and Ritchie Road in Forestville, Md.
At about 11:00 p.m. yesterday, Maryland State Police helicopter, Trooper 2, was dispatched to the scene of a traffic crash in the Waldorf area. Trooper 2 responded from its hangar at the Andrews Air Force Base.
Trooper 2 picked up two female patients and a medical provider from the rescue squad to assist the State Police flight paramedic during the flight to the Prince George’s Hospital Center. During the flight, the helicopter disappeared from radar. State Police and Prince George’s County Police and Fire were notified and a search began.
Shortly before 2:00 a.m. today, the helicopter crash site was found. The helicopter was in a wooded area of the park. The four victims were pronounced dead at the scene.
A cause of the crash is not known at this time. Colonel Terrence Sheridan, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police, is on the scene, as are State Police investigators. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration have been notified and are on the scene.
NOTE: A media briefing site has been set up at the North Forestville Elementary School, located in the 2400-block of Ritchie Road, Forestville, Md.
