Three people died following a Christmas Eve accident that occurred in the outer loop of the Beltway.
All three casualties of the multi-vehicle accident in Maryland were residents of Silver Spring and passengers in the same vehicle, according to Maryland State Police.
The accident happened around 7:40 p.m. on December 24, when a 36-year-old woman from Silver Spring lost control of her Chevrolet Malibu just before the Connecticut Avenue exit.
The car hit a wet spot on the highway and hydroplaned out of control. The Malibu crossed into an adjoining lane, crashing into a Toyota pickup truck before spinning out onto the shoulder. The Malibu continued to careen out of control, entering the highway once again where it was hit by a third vehicle, a Chevrolet Silverado.
Two of the Malibu’s four passengers were transported to Suburban Hospital, where they were pronounced dead. Their names have not yet been released, but police have confirmed that both were Silver Spring residents. One was a 17-year-old boy and the other was a 30-year-old woman.
The other two passengers in the Malibu were taken to Inova Hospital in Fairfax. One of those passengers, a 72-year-old woman from Silver Spring, died of her injuries on Christmas Day. The status of the remaining passenger is unknown at this time.
The driver of the Malibu was treated at Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore and released. Maryland State Police believe she may have been under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash.
The driver of the Silverado and a passenger in the pickup truck were both treated for minor injuries. No other injuries were reported.
The Maryland car crash is currently under investigation.
We express our deepest condolences to the families of the three people who lost their lives in this accident.