A 64-year-old box truck driver died after his vehicle crossed the center line on Bayside Road in North Beach and slammed head-on into an SUV driven by a teenager, according to the Calvert County Sheriff's Office. Chester McDonald of Middle River was pronounced dead at CalvertHealth Medical Center following the Thursday afternoon crash, while 19-year-old Kylie Gasch of North Beach was treated for injuries described as not life-threatening.
Patrol Bureau deputies were called to the 8700 block of Bayside Road at about 3:12 p.m. on November 5 for a serious crash with injuries, as reported by thebaynet.com. Investigators say McDonald was driving a 2025 International commercial box truck south on Bayside Road when it crossed into the northbound lane and struck Gasch's Chevrolet Equinox head-on. Both drivers were taken to CalvertHealth Medical Center in Prince Frederick, where McDonald was later pronounced deceased.
The Calvert County Sheriff's Office said McDonald may have experienced a medical emergency before the collision, but described that finding as preliminary. As reported by dailyvoice.com, authorities have not determined whether McDonald's death was caused by a medical emergency, injuries from the crash, or other factors.
Investigation Still Open, No Charges Announced
The sheriff's office issued a release about the crash on November 8, three days after it happened. The agency's Crash Reconstruction Team, led by DFC M. Daily, continues to investigate, and no charges have been announced. The sheriff's office did not disclose the suspected type of medical emergency, who owns the truck, where McDonald was headed, or how long the road was closed following the crash.
Witnesses are asked to contact DFC M. Daily at 410-535-2800 or [email protected], referencing case number 26-94454.
A Busy, Sometimes Dangerous Corridor
Bayside Road is Maryland Route 261, the main road running through North Beach and Chesapeake Beach along the bay shore, carrying a steady mix of local traffic, commuters, and delivery trucks. The corridor has seen other serious incidents in recent years, including a pedestrian killed near Research Lane in Chesapeake Beach in September 2023, and a man killed and a woman critically injured in February 2024 when a falling tree struck their vehicle at Bayside Road and 13th Street. A Shady Side man was also killed in a separate head-on crash in Lothian on October 29.
Statewide, Maryland has seen a mixed picture on road deaths. The Maryland Department of Transportation has reported 290 road deaths through September 7, 2026, compared with 332 through the same date in 2025. According to preliminary data from the Maryland Department of Transportation, the state recorded 480 traffic deaths in 2025, down from 582 in 2024, marking the first year since 2014 that the total fell below 500.
