WASHINGTON – Three people are now confirmed dead following Saturday’s multi-vehicle accident on Route 50 in Anne Arundel County.
The Maryland State Police say Susannah Badders, 19, and Jason P. Simpkins, 19, who were flown to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center after the collision, were pronounced dead Sunday.
Badders’ father, 63-year-old Raymond Badders, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.
On Saturday, troopers said the crash happened when a Nissan X-Terra driven by Travis M. Ala swerved into a stopped Toyota Corolla the eastbound lanes of Route 50 near Route 665/Aris T. Allen Boulevard around 2:45 p.m., causing it to overturn and collide with another vehicle. Susannah Badders was driving the Corolla; Simpkins was in the front passenger seat, and Raymond Badders was in the back seat.
The X-Terra is registered to the Takoma Park Police Department, where Ala is a Private First Class. He has been with the department since January 2012 and was off-duty at the time of the crash; officials said Sunday that he is on administrative leave.
No charges have been filed at this time. The investigation is ongoing.
The accident closed the highway for nearly six hours and caused significant delays.
Maryland State Police say the vehicle that Ala was driving is registered to the Takoma Police Department, where Ala is employed. He was off-duty at the time. Ala was transported by ambulance to Anne Arundel County Medical Center, where he was treated and released.
An accident occurred earlier Saturday afternoon, causing delays on the eastbound lanes of Route 50 near Route 450 in Parole. Police say Ala apparently did not observe the backup in time to allow him to stop. He swerved into the merge lanes from Interstate 97, where he collided with the Corolla.
WTOP’s Dave Dildine contributed to this report.
