An early morning collision on Interstate 95 in Howard County resulted in a driver's death and a multiple-vehicle pileup, officials said. Maryland State Police have been investigating the incident that occurred around 2 a.m., just past Route 100 in Elkridge. According to WMAR2 News, the crash involved an on-duty trooper in an unmarked state police vehicle that a Jeep Cherokee hit on the left shoulder of the highway.
The collision reportedly propelled the Jeep into oncoming traffic, where it struck a GMC pickup truck, triggering a series of subsequent impacts with a Lincoln SUV and a Volkswagen. As a result, the Jeep's driver was pronounced dead at the scene, their identity has not been disclosed, their passenger was transported to Shock Trauma with injuries. The state trooper stationed in the cruiser received medical attention but was later released, while the GMC driver also required hospitalization, according to WBALTV.
Brenton Passmore, a 32-year-old from Crofton identified as the Volkswagen driver, was arrested at the scene under suspicion of driving under the influence. Authorities are still trying to ascertain how and why the Jeep ended up striking the trooper's vehicle. Traffic flow on I-95 was disrupted for about four hours before lanes were cleared and normal travel resumed.
The investigation into the cause of the accident continues, as detectives piece together the events leading up to the fatal collision, State Police are soliciting information from witnesses who might have insight into this tragic event.
