Shortly after 10:40 p.m. on Thursday, troopers from the Maryland State Police College Park Barrack responded to the area of southbound I-95 just north of MD Route 212 for a report of a multi-vehicle crash. According to a preliminary investigation, a 2017 Dodge Charger, driven by Michael Daniel, 24, of Silver Spring, Maryland, was in the right lane and attempted to switch lanes and pass a tractor-trailer.
At the same time, a Hyundai Elantra was traveling in the next lane over to the left when it was rear-ended by the Dodge. The impact caused the Dodge to go off the left side of the road and the Hyundai to go off the right side of the road. The Hyundai came to rest facing north on I-95 and caught fire.
The driver of the Hyundai, a male, and the passenger in the vehicle, a female, were declared deceased at the scene by Prince George’s County Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department. The deceased victims have yet to be positively identified. Daniel, the driver of the Dodge, was transported by ambulance to a local hospital for treatment of his injuries.
The Maryland State Police Crash Team is leading the investigation. Once their investigation is completed, the Crash Team will submit their findings to the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office, which will decide whether charges will be filed in this case.
The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration assisted with lane closures. The road was closed for approximately three hours following the crash.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation…
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CONTACT: Office of Media Communications, msp.media@maryland.gov