A Westminster woman and her dog were killed Wednesday night after being struck while trying to cross southbound I-795 near Mt. Wilson Lane in Baltimore County, after her car ran out of gas and she got out to cross the travel lanes on foot. Madison Cecille Davis, 31, and the dog were both pronounced dead at the scene.
According to FOX Baltimore, Maryland State Police troopers responded to the crash around 8 p.m. on Sept. 30, after Davis had pulled her vehicle onto the left shoulder when it ran out of gas. She then got out with her dog and, for reasons still under investigation, attempted to cross the travel lanes, the outlet reported. Both Davis and the dog were struck by a Hyundai Sonata.
Driver Hospitalized, Highway Shut for Hours
The driver of the Hyundai was taken by ambulance to a local hospital for treatment, per the same report. The station notes that the roadway was closed for about three hours while the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration and Baltimore County police assisted at the scene.
The Maryland State Police Crash Team is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths, the station reported. Investigators have not said why Davis left her vehicle and attempted to cross the highway with her dog, and that remains unresolved.
What Maryland Law Says About Walking on Highways
Maryland law generally bars pedestrians from controlled-access highways like I-795. Under Maryland General Assembly statute 21-509, except in limited circumstances, “a pedestrian may not walk along a controlled access highway” and “a pedestrian may not walk on a controlled access highway.”
The crash adds to a string of pedestrian fatalities state troopers have investigated on Baltimore County roads this year. The Maryland Department of State Police previously announced it was investigating a separate fatal pedestrian crash in Baltimore County dated Aug. 3, 2026, though details distinguishing that case from Davis's death were not available.
State transportation officials track crash and fatality data statewide as part of a broader push toward what they call zero roadway deaths and serious injuries, according to zerodeathsmd.gov. The agency also maintains a pedestrian safety brief covering pedestrian-on-foot crash and injury data across the state.
