UPDATE 2/9/2019: The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office reported that on February 9, 2019, the juvenile Emma Leigh Clarke, age 3 months, succumbed to the injuries sustained in the motor vehicle collision.
The investigation is ongoing.
UPDATE 2/8/2019: On February 7, 2019, at approximately 10:35 p.m., deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 19200 block of Three Notch Road in Lexington Park, for the reported motor vehicle collision involving three vehicles. The Sheriff’s Office Collision Reconstruction Unit responded to the scene and continued the investigation.
A preliminary investigation determined a 2008 Honda Civic operated by Alexa Taylor Smith, age 23 of Owings, was traveling southbound on Three Notch Road in the area of King James Parkway. Smith attempted to make a U-turn at King James Parkway and was struck by a 2013 Ford Escape traveling southbound, operated by John Wesley Lonkert, age 39 of Scotland. After being struck, Smith’s vehicle entered the northbound lane where it was struck by a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe operated by Joseph Dennis Spalding, age 58 of Hollywood.
Smith and a passenger were transported to an area trauma center, and a juvenile in Smith’s vehicle was transported to Children’s Hospital for treatment.
Lonkert was transported to MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital with incapacitating injuries.
At this time, driver error appears to be the contributing factor in the collision. Anyone who may have witnessed the collision or events leading to the collision, are asked to contact Deputy First Class John Davis at (301) 475-4200 extension *8015 or by email at [email protected].
Crews arrived on scene to find a white Ford SUV, and a white Hyundai Santa Fe in the roadway, and a red Honda Civic off the roadway with 3 patients trapped and one unconscious.
Firefighters from Ridge, Valley Lee, and NDW Fire Dept. from Webster Field extricated three patients in approximately 30 minutes.
Due to weather, no medevac helicopters were flying.
Two adult patients from the Honda were transported by ambulances to area trauma centers, and one infant was taken by ambulance to MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital with CPR in progress.
One patient from another vehicle was taken to MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital with minor injuries, and at least one patient signed a care refusal form on the scene.
Witnesses reported the Honda Civic was traveling Southbound on Three Notch Road when for unknown reasons it crossed the center line and struck the Hyundai Santa Fe in the Northbound Lane. The Hyundai was then struck by the Ford SUV who was traveling Southbound.
The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Collision Reconstruction Unit responded to the scene and continued the investigation.
Updates will be provided when they become available.
