GLEN BURNIE, Md. (May 23, 2008) - Maryland State Police are continuing their investigation into a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 97 Friday in Anne Arundel County involving six vehicles that claimed two lives and injured six people who were transported to area hospitals.
Maria J. Lizama-Sanchez, 31, of the 400-block of Secluded Post Circle, Glen Burnie, Md., who was believed to have been seven months pregnant, was flown to the University of Maryland R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center by a Maryland State Police helicopter. Because of her critical injuries, doctors had to deliver the child she was carrying. The child was born, but died about 12:30 p.m., due to what doctors believe were injuries from the crash. Ms. Lizama-Sanchez died as a result of her injuries about 2:00 p.m.
Ms. Lizama’s husband, who was driving the vehicle she was in, was also injured and was flown to Shock Trauma. He is identified as Walter Sanchez, 36, of the same address as his wife.
Others injured in the crash were Lamoyan W. Lee, 34, of the 1200-block Damsel Road, Essex, Maryland, Robert A. Boyer, 40, of the 300-block West Lexington Street, Baltimore, Maryland, James C. Shaffer, 60, and Anne L. Shaffer, 59, of the 3400-block Hidden River View Road, Annapolis, Maryland, and Johanna C. Warner, 61, of the 400-block Chancellor Road, York, Pennsylvania. All were transported by ambulance to the Baltimore-Washington Medical Center with injuries described as non-life threatening.
The preliminary investigation indicates that shortly before 11:30 a.m., members of the Anne Arundel Police Department stopped traffic on southbound I-97 at Maryland Route 100 to allow a funeral procession to proceed onto southbound I-97 from eastbound Route 100. For reasons unknown at this time, a southbound 2001 Volvo tractor trailer, driven by Lamoyan Lee, failed to stop and struck the rear of a 2001 Dodge Caravan occupied by Ms. Lizama-Sanchez and her husband, forcing it off the left side of the roadway.
The Dodge Caravan continued on and struck a 2007 Ford pickup, operated by Ernest L. Jones, Jr., of Westminster, Md., who was uninjured. The tractor trailer then struck a 2000 Ford pickup operated by Robert Boyer, forcing it into a 2008 BMW driven by James Shaffer. The force of that impact caused the BMW to strike a 2005 Ford 500, driven by Johanna Warner. All of these vehicles had been southbound on I-97. Except for the tractor trailer, all the vehicles were stopped in traffic when the crash occurred.
Troopers from the Glen Burnie Barracks responded to the crash and requested assistance from the Maryland State Police CRASH Team. The CRASH Team will be conducting a detailed reconstruction of the crash.
No charges have been filed in connection with the crash at this time. The investigation is continuing.
Personnel from the State Highway Administration responded to assist with detours around the crash scene. Due to the extensive crash scene and the number of people injured, southbound I-97 remained closed for about two and one-half hours.
Source: Maryland State Police HQ