On January 7, 2026, at approximately 10:44 a.m., deputies from the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Bureau responded to the intersection of South Solomons Island Road (Route 4) and Ball Road in St. Leonard, for the report of a serious motor vehicle collision. Due to the severity of the crash, the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Team was requested and assumed the investigation.
The preliminary investigation indicates that a 2019 Freightliner truck, operated by Erbert Locklear Jr., 64, of Baltimore, was traveling southbound on Route 4 approaching the intersection with Ball Road. At the same time, a 2007 International truck, operated by Ronald E. Matthews, 57, of Mechanicsville, was stopped at the traffic signal in the southbound lanes, with a 2024 Tesla passenger vehicle operated by Nikola Medenica, 36, of Arlington, VA, stopped behind it.
The Freightliner struck the rear of the Tesla, causing it to be pushed into the rear of the International truck.
Locklear and Matthews were treated at the scene by emergency medical personnel and released.
Medenica sustained life-threatening injuries and was flown by the Maryland State Police Aviation Command to an area trauma center, where he remains in critical condition.
Deputy First Class M. Lewis of the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Team is conducting the investigation. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact DFC Lewis at 410-535-2800 or via email at [email protected].
Photos are courtesy of the St Leonard Volunteer Fire Department.
