WASHINGTON — An active duty marine was killed Friday when his motorcycle was struck by a speeding BMW that lost control and crossed the double yellow line into oncoming traffic, Anne Arundel County police said Saturday.
Police said Martin Martinez Ballinas, 28, of Crofton, was driving a BMW 335i southbound on Patuxent Road in Gambrills when he lost control of the vehicle. The BMW crossed the double yellow line into the northbound lane and struck James Ray Walden, 21, of Peoria Heights, Illinois, who was traveling northbound on his motorcycle.
“Upon arrival of responding officers, the driver of the BMW fled the scene,” police said in a news release. They said officers found Ballinas hiding in a quarry about a quarter mile south of the crash scene.
Walden was thrown from the motorcycle and sustained fatal injuries, officials said. He had been an active duty marine stationed at Fort Meade in Maryland.
A passenger in the BMW had minor injuries, police said.
Traffic Safety is conducting an investigation. The charges are under review by the States Attorney.
WTOP’S Sae Robinson contributed to this report.
