Charles County Sheriff's Office issues citation in separate fatal crash
A man who was injured in a crash July 12 on St. Charles Parkway has died of his injuries and a driver involved in a separate crash that killed another man has been issued a citation, the Charles County Sheriff's Office reports.
The man in the July 12 crash is identified as John Carol Whitehead, 56, of Bryantown. The crash occurred July 12 at 6:18 p.m. Whitehead told patrol officers he was traveling south on St. Charles Parkway, south of Gateview Place, when he lost control of his 2005 Harley Davidson Sportster, left the left side of the roadway and struck trees. Whitehead's injuries were initially thought to be non-life-threatening, including possible broken legs. He was transported by an ambulance to Prince George's Hospital Center, where he died July 15. The medical examiner ruled the cause of death as multiple injuries and the manner as accidental. Neither speed nor alcohol appear to be factors in the crash. Cpl. D. W. Belfield of the Traffic Operations Unit is investigating the crash.
Cpl. Belfield has concluded the investigation of a separate crash and has issued a citation to one of the drivers involved. Sheriff's officers responded to the 6400 block of southbound Crain Highway in La Plata July 7 at 9:17 a.m. for the report of the crash. Investigation revealed a 1983 GMC S-15 truck was traveling south on Crain Highway when a 1995 Mercury Tracer made a left turn from northbound Crain Highway. The Tracer failed to yield the right of way to the truck and the vehicles collided. The driver of the truck, Lloyd Sylvester Ford, 72, of La Plata, was transported to Civista Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. The driver of the Tracer, Theresa Brooke, 55, of La Plata, was transported to Prince George's Hospital Center by helicopter in stable condition. On July 20, she received a citation for failure to yield to oncoming traffic while making a left turn.
Northbound traffic on Crain Highway was shut down for 30 minutes and southbound traffic was shut down for two and one-half hours while police investigated the crash. The La Plata Town Police, Maryland State Police and the State Highway Administration assisted in directing traffic.