Lorton teen dead in Maryland crash; alcohol suspected factor

Police believe that alcohol was a factor in a wrong-way collision that left a 17-year-old boy dead on U.S. Route 301/Crain Highway in Charles County, Maryland, early on Saturday morning.

Three teens in a 1994 Jeep Wrangler were driving in the wrong direction down the northbound lanes of Route 301 around 12:45 a.m. Saturday, Maryland State Police said in a news release.

They collided head-on with a 2007 Hyundai Elantra near Faulkner Road, in the town of Faulkner. In a tweet, the Charles County volunteer fire service said 37 firefighters and paramedics responded to the crash it described as “horrific.”

The 17-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene. His identity had not been made public as of Saturday morning.

In a news release, state police said an initial investigation suggested alcohol and driver error were factors in the crash.

Anyone with information on the crash is asked to contact Cpl. Justin Zimmerman of the Maryland State Police at 301-392-1231.

Zeke Hartner

Zeke Hartner is a digital writer/editor who has been with WTOP since 2017. He is a graduate of North Carolina State University’s Political Science program and an avid news junkie.

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