A Dunkirk woman died Tuesday night after a two-vehicle crash in Lothian sent her car off Solomons Island Road and into the trees, according to Anne Arundel County police. Officers arriving near Ducks Lane found both vehicles down an embankment in a wooded area beside the roadway. The car's driver was taken to a hospital, where she later died, and the pickup driver declined medical treatment at the scene.
What police said
Officers were called around 7:35 p.m. to Solomons Island Road near Ducks Lane, where a pickup truck towing a dump trailer had rear-ended a car that was stopped in the roadway, according to WBAL. The impact pushed the car off the road and into the woods, where it hit a tree head-on.
Preliminary findings
The car was a Honda Accord, and the following vehicle was a Ford F-350, WMAR2 News reports. Police told WMAR the Accord had braked suddenly before it was struck from behind. WMAR identifies the driver as Wanda K. Hartley, 68, of Dunkirk, and notes she was transported to a hospital, where she later died. The station adds that the pickup's driver did not require treatment.
MD-2 safety context
Solomons Island Road, also known as Route 2, has seen several serious crashes in recent months. That includes a three-vehicle chain-reaction collision in Harwood on April 8 that killed a 54-year-old woman, according to Eye On Annapolis. County crash summaries show multiple high-severity collisions along Route 2 and similar rural corridors, according to Anne Arundel County data, underscoring ongoing concerns about safety on the busy stretch.
Investigation ongoing
The investigation remains active, and Anne Arundel County police have not released additional details, WBALTV reports. Authorities have not said whether any charges will be filed as they continue to review the circumstances of the crash.
