Two Killed, Three Injured in Multi-Vehicle Crash in Washington County
By Accident.NEWS
Publish Date: September 1, 2023
Two fatalities, three injuries
Early Friday morning, a tragic accident occurred in Washington County, resulting in the deaths of two individuals and leaving three others injured. The incident involved multiple vehicles, including four tractor-trailers.
Maryland State Police received a distress call at approximately 9:35 a.m., alerting them to the crash on Interstate 81 near Maugansville. As a result of the collision, the southbound lanes have been closed for an extended period of time.
According to preliminary investigations conducted by authorities, it appears that an SUV collided with the rear-end of a tractor-trailer that had slowed down due to traffic conditions. This initial impact triggered a chain-reaction crash involving three additional tractor-trailers and one pickup truck.
The victims have been identified as Wesley Merrick, aged 55, who was driving the SUV, and Alicia Eve Cornell, aged 46, who was a passenger in the vehicle. Both individuals were from New York and tragically lost their lives at the scene of the accident.
In addition to those who died in this devastating incident, two other passengers traveling in the SUV sustained injuries. The front-seat passenger was airlifted to Shock Trauma located in Baltimore for immediate medical attention while another rear-seat passenger was transported to Meritus Medical Center situated in Hagerstown.
Furthermore, state police reported that one of the drivers operating one of the involved tractor-trailers also required medical treatment at Meritus Medical Center.
As investigations into this horrific crash continue by Maryland State Police officials are urging motorists to avoid using Interstate 81's southbound lanes until further notice. Authorities are working diligently to clear debris from all affected vehicles while gathering evidence related to this tragic event.
Legal Help
If you or a loved one was a victim in this or a similar accident, you may be entitled to financial compensation.
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Tags: Fatality, Maryland, Traffic Accident, Injuries, Fatalities, Multi Vehicle Crash, Baltimore, Washington County, Interstate81
Incident at a Glance
- Parties Involved:
- Wesley Merrick, Alicia Eve Cornell
- Vehicles:
- SUV, tractor-trailers, pickup truck
- Fatality:
- YES
- State:
- Maryland
- City:
- Washington County
- Location:
- Interstate 81 near Maugansville
- Date of Incident:
- 2023-09-01
- Time of Incident:
- 9:35 a.m.
Interstate 81 near Maugansville
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