Fatal Vehicle Accidents Plague Area in Recent Weeks


One Killed in 2 Vehicle Accident in Prince Frederick; Alcohol Involved

On Saturday, September 5, at approximately 3:39 p.m., Calvert County Sheriff's Office Patrol units were dispatched to a serious personal injury crash on Maryland Route 231 near Heather Road in Prince Frederick. Upon arrival units observed a 2009 Chevrolet Silverado and a 2003 GMC Envoy with heavy front end damage. It was evident the vehicles had been involved in a head on offset collision. The passenger compartment of the GMC Envoy was severely compromised during the collision. There were two patients in the Envoy and one in the Silverado.

Due to the extent of the driver of the Envoy's injuries, patrol units called for the Crash Reconstruction Team to respond to assist with the investigation. Members from the Prince Frederick Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad, the Huntingtown Volunteer Fire Department and Calvert Advanced Life Support responded to the scene and extricated the patients from both vehicles.

The driver of the Envoy was severely injured during the collision and was transported to Calvert Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced deceased by the emergency room doctor. The deceased was identified as Peter Schroeder, 59, of Chesapeake Beach.

The front seat passenger of the Envoy was the wife of the deceased, Mary Schroeder, 54, also of Chesapeake Beach. Ms. Schroeder was transported to the Medstar trauma center in Washington, D.C. via MSP helicopter where she is listed in serious but stable condition.

The driver of the Silverado was identified as Robert Rambo, 57, of Prince Frederick. Rambo was transported via MSP helicopter to Medstar trauma center in Washington, D.C. where he is listed in stable condition.

Preliminary investigation by the Crash Reconstruction Team revealed the Chevrolet Silverado operated by Rambo was travelling westbound along Maryland Route 231 when it crossed the double yellow center line and drove onto the shoulder. The GMC Envoy was travelling eastbound on Rt. 231. The operator of the Envoy drove onto the eastbound shoulder in an effort to avoid being struck by the Chevrolet Silverado. The Chevrolet Silverado struck the Envoy on the eastbound shoulder, pushing the Envoy backwards, and destroyed the Envoy's passenger compartment. The Crash Reconstruction Team members gathered all pertinent evidence from the scene and documented their findings.

The patrol units on scene detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from the passenger compartment of Rambo's vehicle. Deputies responded to Medstar in Washington, D.C. where a blood draw was administered to determine blood alcohol content. It is believed alcohol and driver error are the major contributing factors in this crash.

Two Killed when Motorcycle and Jeep Collide in Calvert; Third Stopped Vehicle Involved

On Thursday, September 3, at approximately 7:40 p.m., members of the Calvert County Sheriff's Office Patrol Bureau and Crash Reconstruction Team responded to the intersection of MD Route 4 and Rousby Hall Road for the report of a serious motor vehicle crash. Upon arrival, units located three vehicles that were involved in a collision. One of the vehicles involved was a Harley Davidson motorcycle.

Preliminary investigation revealed a 2001 Harley Davidson motorcycle, operated by Conrado Rago Fabricante, Jr., age 55, of Broomes Island, was traveling northbound on MD Route 4 in the area of Rousby Hall Road. The motorcycle was also occupied by a rear passenger, Lauren Shelby Pitt, age 27, of Hollywood. As the motorcycle entered the intersection, a 2009 Jeep Wrangler operated by Joseph James Illar, age 57, of Lusby, entered the intersection in an attempt to make a left turn to travel west on Rousby Hall Road and collided with the motorcycle. As a result of the collision, both the operator and the rear passenger were ejected from the motorcycle. After the collision the motorcycle continued travelling west and struck a 2014 Mercedes Benz SUV, which was stopped on Rousby Hall Road waiting to turn right onto northbound MD Route 4. The Mercedes was operated by Julianne Robin Posey, age 53, of Broomes Island. Subsequent to the collision with the Mercedes, the motorcycle and the Mercedes caught fire.

Fabricante and Pitt were both killed and were pronounced dead on the scene by emergency medical personnel. Illar was treated on the scene for minor injuries and was released. Posey also sustained minor injuries and was released after assessment on the scene.

At this time the causation of the collision and fault remains under investigation.

The bodies of Fabricante and Pitt were transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore where an autopsy will be performed.

One Killed in Charles County Motor Vehicle Collision

On Sunday, August 23, at approximately 2:21 p.m., troopers from the Maryland State Police La Plata barrack responded to a collision on Maryland Route 224 in the area of Spring Lane in Indian Head. As a result of the collision, a female passenger was killed.

The victim has been identified as Marion Claudia Mangan, age 65, of Rockville. She was pronounced dead at the University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center, La Plata, after being transported from the scene by ambulance.

A preliminary investigation conducted by troopers from the La Plata Barrack, with the assistance of a collision reconstruction specialist, indicates a Silver Chevrolet Impala bearing Maryland registration 7DSX88 was traveling on Maryland Route 224 attempting to make a left turn into a private driveway. The driver of the Chevrolet pulled into the path of a Toyota Corolla bearing Virginia registration VGZ3382 traveling in the opposite direction. Subsequently the Toyota struck the passenger side of the Chevrolet trapping the occupant in the passenger seat.

The passenger was transported to the University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center where she was pronounced deceased.

Pedestrian Killed in Waldorf

On Thursday, August 27, at approximately 10:30 p.m., troopers from the Maryland State Police La Plata Barrack responded to northbound Rt. 5 (Mattawoman-Beantown Rd) at Rt. 301 (Crain Highway) in Waldorf for a report of an accident involving a pedestrian. Troopers arrived on scene and spoke with CCSO units already on scene and parties involved.

Investigation revealed that the driver of vehicle #1 (Fakiha A. Yahya, age 48, of Clinton) was operating her 1998 Dodge Avenger, northbound on Rt. 5 at Rt. 301 in the #1 lane, when a pedestrian (Johnny J. Phelps, age 51, of Newburg) walked in her lane of travel and was struck. Phelps was thrown into lane #3 on northbound Rt. 301, where he was struck by vehicle #2, a 1998 Honda Accord, being operated by Mark L. Nebo, age 35, of La Plata. Phelps was pronounced deceased on scene.

No charges were filed.

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