A 22-year-old driver has died Tuesday after a head-on crash with a tractor-trailer in Frederick County, Maryland, state police said. And a volunteer firefighter responding to the scene died after having a medical emergency.
Kevin N. Tevelow, of New Windsor, Maryland, was pronounced dead at the scene, Maryland State Police said. Volunteer firefighter Michael Powers had a medical emergency while responding to the crash scene, and he was taken to a hospital, where he later died.
Around 1 p.m. Tuesday, state troopers responded to Route 26, west of Unionville Road, in Unionville, for the report of a crash. It involved a Volkswagen and a tractor-trailer hauling a tanker of water, state police said.
State police have identified the truck driver as 60-year-old Ricky H. Hyde, of Manchester; he had a passenger, 58-year-old George N. Riggle III, of Millers. Both were injured and taken to a hospital.
First responders had to extricate both drivers out of their vehicles.
A preliminary investigation found that the crash happened after Tevelow, traveling westbound on Route 26, tried to pass a vehicle in an authorized passing zone, but did not yield the right-of-way to eastbound traffic, state police said.
Hyde, traveling eastbound, tried to avoid crashing by swerving onto the eastbound shoulder, but the two collided head on.
In a statement later Tuesday, they said of Powers’ death, “The men and women of the Maryland State Police extend their deepest sympathies to the members of the Libertytown Volunteer Fire Company and the Frederick County Fire and EMS community, and join them in honoring the service and sacrifice of Firefighter Powers.”
Post 1/2: Personnel and members from FCDFRS and Libertytown Volunteer Fire Company are saddened to announce the unexpected LODD of Volunteer Firefighter Michael Powers. FF Powers experienced a medical emergency while on the scene of a vehicle accident
— FrederickCounty Fire (@FCDFRS) June 25, 2019
Post 2/2: earlier this afternoon and after being transported to FMH was pronounced deceased. Units from Libertytown VFC will escort FF Powers from FMH to the Medical Examiners office in Baltimore beginning at 5:30pm.
— FrederickCounty Fire (@FCDFRS) June 25, 2019
State police said that part of the Route 26 was closed for more than five hours as they investigated; lanes reopened just before 6:30 p.m.
Below is a map of the area where the crash happened.
