FRUITLAND, Md. – An apparent drunk driver was critically injured and his
passenger was killed Saturday night after he sped through a Wicomico County intersection and struck two vehicles, sending six others, including two children, to the hospital.
The deceased passenger, who was pronounced dead at the scene, has not been identified at this time. He is described as a Hispanic male, who was riding in a Pontiac Sunfire GT with Mississippi tags. The driver, also described only as a Hispanic male, was ejected from the vehicle and taken to Peninsula Regional Medical Center (PRMC), with
serious injuries.
At about 8:15 p.m. tonight, Trooper First Class Tony Morton of the Princess Anne Barracks was in plain clothes driving an unmarked State Police patrol car north on Rt. 13, approaching the Somerset/Wicomico County line. TFC Morton and an underage individual had been working an underage alcohol enforcement assignment in the area.
TFC Morton noticed a car ahead of him on Rt. 13 near Flower Hill Church Road that was weaving back and forth across the travel lanes. He pulled beside the vehicle to look at the driver and noticed signs of possible alcohol intoxication. TFC Morton pointed to the driver to pull over.
Instead of pulling over, the driver of the Pontiac Sunfire immediately accelerated to speeds over 100 mph. TFC Morton radioed Salisbury Barracks and requested notification be made to the Salisbury and Fruitland police departments regarding the approaching vehicle. TFC Morton continued north in an attempt to get an accurate description of the vehicle and a tag number.
Approaching Fruitland, TFC Morton had activated his emergency lights and siren, but still was not directly behind the speeding vehicle. He could see the vehicle ahead and also knew that the traffic volume would be increasing.
As the speeding vehicle approached the intersection of Rt. 13 and Hayward Avenue, two vehicles were side by side in northbound lanes one and two. The driver of the Pontiac Sunfire drove between those vehicles, striking both of them.
The vehicle in lane one was a Pontiac Gran Prix occupied by a husband and wife and two young children apparently from Princess Anne. Their vehicle was forced into the median and overturned. All four occupants were taken to PRMC by ambulance for treatment of what are believed to be non-life threatening injuries.
The occupants of the Pontiac Grand Am have been treated and released at PRMC. They are identified as Charles Dvorak Sr., 44, his wife Doris Dvorak, 37, and their children, Charles Dvorak Jr., 12, and Rebecca Dvorak, 10, all of Princess Anne, Md.
The vehicle in lane two was a Honda Ridgeline pickup with Virginia tags, occupied by a man and woman. The force of the crash sent their vehicle off the road on the right, but it did not overturn. Both occupants were taken by ambulance to PRMC, where they were treated and released.
The occupants of the Honda Ridgeline pickup are identified as Tyrone Strand, 50, and his wife, Virginia Strand, 49, of Temperanceville,
Va.
Police have obtained the identifications of all the individuals involved in the fatal crash except for the driver and deceased passenger in the at-fault vehicle.
The at-fault vehicle, a Pontiac Sunfire GT, was driven by a Hispanic male
who remains unidentified at this time. The driver, believed to have been driving
under the influence at the time of the crash, has given State Police
investigators several names and dates of birth and was carrying no
identification. Troopers have information indicating the driver is in the United
States illegally. He remains under police guard at Peninsula Regional Medical
Center.
The deceased passenger in the at-fault vehicle, who was pronounced dead at the scene, also remains unidentified. He is described only as a Hispanic male. The driver told troopers he did not know the passenger.
The crash investigation is being conducted by the Maryland State Police CRASH Team, with the assistance of troopers from the Salisbury and Princess Anne barracks, as well as officers from the Fruitland Police Department.