ACCOKEEK, Md. — Prince George’s County police are investigating a fatal collision that killed 79-year-old Walter Puma of Accokeek on November 26, 2025. The incident occurred around 5:15 p.m. in the 300 block of Bryan Point Road, where officers found Puma in the roadway with trauma injuries. He was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead shortly after. The driver stayed at the scene and sustained no injuries.
Preliminary findings show the driver traveled westbound on Bryan Point Road near Biddle Lane when the vehicle struck Puma, who walked in the roadway. Reasons for the collision remain under review by the Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Unit. Authorities seek information from witnesses and direct calls to 301-731-4422. Tips can also go to Crime Solvers at www.pgcrimesolvers.com, the P3 Tips app or 1-866-411-TIPS, with anonymity available. Refer to case 25-0066056.
Bryan Point Road closed in both directions during the investigation, affecting local traffic. The area, a two-lane road in southern Prince George’s County, connects residential neighborhoods near the Potomac River. Conditions there include limited lighting in evening hours, which may factor into visibility issues during fall and winter.
This collision adds to traffic fatalities in Prince George’s County, which reported 34 deaths by May 2025, leading Maryland jurisdictions at that point. Statewide, Maryland recorded 432 fatalities year-to-date as of November 30, 2025. Pedestrian deaths in the D.C. region, including Prince George’s, have doubled over the past decade. In 2024, the county saw 13 fatal hit-and-runs involving pedestrians, up from seven in 2023. Overall traffic deaths in the county totaled 91 in 2024, down from prior years but still the highest in the state.
Pedestrian safety remains a concern in the county, prompting initiatives like Vision Zero, which aims to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries through improved infrastructure and education. The Department of Public Works and Transportation focuses on reducing pedestrian crashes on county roads by adding sidewalks, crosswalks and automated signals. A school pedestrian safety workgroup formed after student deaths, recommending better crosswalks and enforcement near schools.
Maryland law requires drivers to yield right-of-way to pedestrians in marked or unmarked crosswalks at intersections. When turning on green, vehicles must yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk. Pedestrians must not suddenly leave a curb or safe place and enter a vehicle’s path if too close for the driver to stop. Outside crosswalks, pedestrians yield to vehicles. These rules apply statewide, with local enforcement by county police.
Similar incidents occurred recently in Prince George’s County. On November 14, 2025, a two-vehicle collision on Silver Hill Road near Saint Barnabas Road turned fatal. On November 13, 2025, another fatal crash happened on Kerby Hill Road at Indian Head Highway. In February 2024, a pedestrian died on Landover Road near 55th Avenue. These cases often involve speeding, impairment or poor visibility, common factors in county crashes.
The Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Unit uses evidence like vehicle data, witness statements and scene measurements to determine causes. Investigations can take weeks, focusing on factors such as speed, weather and road conditions. In this case, November’s early darkness may have played a role, as pedestrian crashes peak during low-light hours.
Prince George’s County continues efforts to address these issues through infrastructure upgrades and public awareness campaigns. Residents near Accokeek, including those in bordering Southern Maryland counties, use Bryan Point Road for local travel, highlighting the need for vigilance in mixed residential areas.
