An elderly woman was killed and her husband was injured after a car accident on Interstate 81 near Hagerstown Regional Airport. It appears the cause was someone driving recklessly.
Maryland State Police reported that the woman, 80, was a passenger in a 2011 Cadillac SRX driven by her 83-year-old husband. They were traveling southbound when a 20-year-old man driving a 2008 Ford Edge merged into their lane, cutting in front of the Cadillac.
Police said the Ford driver changed lanes unsafely and clipped the Cadillac. Both drivers lost control of their cars, causing the Ford to wind up sideways in front of the Cadillac. The Cadillac traveled off the road and rolled over, landing on its side in the woods.
Both occupants of the Cadillac were taken by ambulance to the hospital, where the woman was pronounced dead. The man suffered injuries that weren’t considered life threatening. The Ford driver was uninjured, and there was no evidence that alcohol or other substances contributed to the accident.
Police said all occupants were wearing seat belts, and there was no indication that drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash. There also was no discussion about the road being in too poor of a condition for travel.
Charges against the Ford driver are pending. The widower of the woman will want to closely monitor the investigation and any charges that are filed. He and his family might want to consider filing a lawsuit against the driver to try to recoup losses for his medical expenses as well as pain and suffering for the loss of his wife.
Source: The Herald-Mail, C.J. Lovelace, July 31, 2012
