Maryland’s Independent Investigations Division is investigating a multi-vehicle crash that critically injured two people after a vehicle fled Charles County Sheriff’s Office deputies Tuesday morning, authorities said.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, deputies were assisting another law enforcement agency around 10:20 a.m. in locating a wanted person traveling in a silver passenger car. Arlington County, Virginia police had contacted CCSO for help finding the vehicle, whose occupant had active felony warrants out of Virginia. Deputies spotted the car near Leonardtown Road and Lakewood Drive in Waldorf and attempted a traffic stop; the vehicle briefly pulled over before fleeing.
Deputies pursued the car, a Toyota Camry, along Crain Highway but lost sight of it near Substation Road. Continuing northbound, officers found the vehicle already crashed in the southbound lanes just north of McKendree Road — more than four miles from where the stop was first attempted, near the Prince George’s County line. State police said the Camry had crossed the median into oncoming traffic, striking a Dodge Postmaster van before crashing head-on into a Toyota Sienna.
One occupant of the first van was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries; occupants of the second van sustained minor injuries. Two women who were in the fleeing Camry were also hospitalized; the Office of the Attorney General said one of them was in grave condition.
Because the crash followed a police pursuit, Maryland law requires the Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division to review the incident, alongside the Maryland State Police. The IID investigates all police-involved incidents that result in death or serious injury, regardless of whether any wrongdoing is suspected. Standard IID procedure calls for releasing the names of involved officers within 48 hours, barring safety concerns, and any body or dash camera footage within 14 days, though that timeline can be extended for reasons including witness interviews or technical review.
The Sheriff’s Office described the information released so far as preliminary and said further details may change as the investigation continues. Anyone with additional information about the incident is asked to call the IID at 410-576-7070.
