A single-vehicle crash claimed the lives of a 90-year-old Annapolis couple Sunday morning in southern Anne Arundel County, according to county police.
Donald Allen, the driver, and his wife, Anne Allen, both Annapolis residents, died after their 2007 Buick LaCrosse veered off Muddy Creek Road and struck a tree. The incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. near the intersection with Sudley Road in the rural West River community.
Southern District officers arrived to find the Buick at rest after leaving the southbound lane behind two other vehicles, witnesses told investigators. Fire department personnel responded immediately, pronouncing Donald Allen dead at the scene. Anne Allen, the passenger, was airlifted to R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, where she later succumbed to her injuries while the crash team examined the site.
The Anne Arundel County Police Traffic Safety Crash Team took over the probe, a standard procedure for fatal incidents. Team members reconstruct scenes using evidence like skid marks, vehicle damage and witness statements to determine factors such as speed, road conditions or mechanical issues. In this case, the investigation remains active, with no immediate cause released. Officers cleared the scene after documenting details, allowing Muddy Creek Road to reopen by early afternoon.
This crash adds to a pattern on the road. In September 2020, a multi-vehicle collision at Muddy Creek and Owensville roads killed a 60-year-old woman when a Jeep struck a turning Ford Fusion. Witnesses described heavy impact and entrapment, similar to Sunday’s response. Five years earlier, in May 2019, a head-on wreck farther south on Muddy Creek left a Churchton woman dead after vehicles collided near Selby Bay. Such incidents highlight ongoing concerns in West River, a hamlet of about 450 households where farmland meets the Rhode River, and traffic mixes locals with seasonal boaters.
The Allens’ ages place them in a demographic facing heightened risks. Maryland drivers over 70 show fatal crash rates per mile traveled that rise sharply, second only to teens under 20, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Nationally, one in six fatal crashes involves a driver 65 or older, with factors like reduced reaction times or vision changes playing roles. The state observes Older Driver Safety Awareness Week each October, urging assessments through programs at the Motor Vehicle Administration. Simple steps, such as adjusting mirrors for better visibility or practicing low-speed maneuvers, can mitigate hazards, officials note.
As investigators piece together the final moments, the incident serves as a reminder for Southern Maryland motorists. Anne Arundel Police urge scanning for hazards on undivided roads and yielding space in convoys. With fall foliage obscuring views and leaves slickening surfaces, extra caution applies through November. The department’s nonemergency line, 410-222-6150, accepts tips on unresolved cases, though none are sought here yet.
