Maryland State Police La Plata Barrack responded to a distressing scene on Monday, April 22, 2024, when a serious motor vehicle collision occurred on United States Route 301 (Crain Hwy) at Acton Lane. The incident, reported around 2:58 PM, prompted the intervention of the Maryland State Police CRASH Team to undertake a thorough investigation.
According to preliminary findings by Troopers from the MSP La Plata Barrack and the MSP CRASH Team, the collision involved a GMC Envoy driven by Stacy Jermain Barksdale, 38, of Waldorf, MD, and a Ford Expedition operated by Denise Kesterson, 55, of Fort Washington, MD, with Gary Cooper, 61, also from Fort Washington, MD, as a passenger. The sequence of events unfolded as follows:
The GMC Envoy, driven by Barksdale, was traveling southbound on United States Route 301, nearing Acton Lane, and was positioned in the right turn only lane. Concurrently, the Ford Expedition, driven by Kesterson, was making a left turn from northbound United States Route 301 onto Acton Lane, guided by a steady green left arrow signal. However, Barksdale failed to adhere to a steady red traffic signal and neglected to turn right as required. The resulting collision caused the GMC to impact the passenger side of the Ford before the Ford collided with a guardrail on Acton Lane.
Tragically, Mr. Cooper, a passenger in the Ford, succumbed to his injuries at the scene of the collision. Ms. Kesterson sustained serious injuries and was airlifted by MSP Aviation Command Trooper 2 to University of Maryland Capital Region Hospital for treatment. Meanwhile, Mr. Barksdale, exhibiting signs of impairment, was transported by ambulance to the same medical facility with non-life-threatening injuries.
Maryland State Police are investigating multiple factors, including alcohol consumption, speed, and driver error, as potential contributors to the collision. Sergeant J. Zimmerman of the MSP CRASH Team is urging anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward with information by contacting him at (301) 392-1231 or via email at justin.zimmerman@maryland.gov. The investigation remains ongoing, with the intent to present findings to the State’s Attorney’s Office for Charles County for further legal proceedings.
