UPDATE – St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Press Release: At approximately 1:36 a.m. on Saturday, April 6, 2024, patrol units from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office (SMCSO) were dispatched to a motor vehicle crash on Point Lookout Road in Great Mills, MD.
When deputies arrived, they found a 2005 Ford F-150 truck crashed into Holy Face Church, and the driver, the sole occupant of the vehicle, was stuck inside the truck and seriously hurt.
Local fire and emergency medical services personnel extricated the driver, Nicholas Aaron Fondren, 22, of California, MD, from the truck, and he was transported to an area trauma center by Maryland State Police Aviation’s Trooper 7 for emergency care.
Due to the nature of the collision, the SMCSO Collision Reconstruction Unit responded to assume the investigation.
A preliminary investigation indicates the truck was traveling southbound on Point Lookout Road toward Great Mills Road when the vehicle left the road, traveled approximately 450 feet, and struck the Holy Face Church.
At this time, speed, driver error, and alcohol are considered contributing factors in the collision.
Anyone who may have witnessed the collision or any events leading up to the collision is asked to contact Corporal Jason Smith at [email protected] or 301-475-4200 ext. 2328.
Crews arrived on the scene to report the collision was at the Holy Face Church, and not at Little Flower School.
Firefighters found a pickup truck into the rear of the building, suspended in the air resting on the rear basement access stairs with the male operator trapped in the vehicle.
19 firefighters from Bay District and Valley Lee Volunteer Fire Departments responded and extricated the victim in under 20 minutes.
A Maryland State Police Helicopter was requested to land at the scene due to the patient suffering life-threatening injuries.
Trooper 7 landed nearby and transported the male patient to an area trauma center with life-threatening injuries and a reported amputation of a lower extremity.
Deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office and Traffic Reconstruction Team responded and are investigating the collision.
A 911 caller and witness reported the truck was traveling Southbound on Point Lookout Road when the vehicle crossed the center line, and nearly struck the witness head-on before it left the roadway, nearly struck the bell tower at the church and struck the church.
Impaired driving and speed are being investigated as possible contributing factors.
Updates will be provided when they become available.
