Prince George’s County police have identified the victim in a fatal motorcycle crash that happened Sunday in College Park, Maryland.
Police observed a motorcycle, operated by 17-year-old Oscar Hernandez, of Chillum, traveling southbound at a high speed along Baltimore Avenue around 7:30 p.m., a news release said.
Hernandez made an illegal U-turn as an officer approached in a marked cruiser. Police followed and caught up with the motorcycle, which was stopped in a turning lane.
As the officer approached and turned on the cruiser’s lights, the motorcycle fled, driving into an intersection against a red light.
The officer called to dispatchers and was advised to disengage, which he did, turning off his emergency equipment. Police continued northbound, following the motorcycle’s route.
At the intersection by Fox Street, police said the motorcycle drove into oncoming southbound traffic against a red light and collided with a car that was trying to turn southbound onto Baltimore Avenue.
Police blocked traffic and rendered aid to Hernandez, who died on the way to the hospital.
Over the weekend, there were several fatal motorcycle crashes in the D.C. area. A person was killed on Interstate 95 in Prince William County, Virginia, closing the southbound lanes as police investigated.
On Saturday, 41-year-old James Edward Beach II, of Gainesville, and 22-year-old passenger Shannon Nicole Meyer, of Bristow, were killed when the motorcycle Beach was operating collided with an SUV in Gainesville, Virginia.
On Monday, Labor Day, Prince George’s County police investigated a fatal motorcycle crash on Ritchie Road. The victim was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
