Maryland State Police Continues Work To Reduce Traffic Fatalities

(PIKESVILLE, MD) – Maryland State Police are investigating seven separate fatal vehicle crashes that occurred over the past week, while also continuing proactive efforts to reduce vehicle fatalities statewide.

The most recent crash occurred Sunday evening when a man died in a multi-vehicle crash in Howard County. At about 8:55 p.m., troopers from the Waterloo Barrack responded to a crash involving a motorcycle and a car that occurred in the area of eastbound Interstate 70 and Maryland Route 32 in Marriottsville, Maryland.

According to a preliminary investigation, a 2021 Honda CBR1000 motorcycle and a 2005 Buick Lacrosse, were traveling east on I-70 when the motorcycle rear-ended the Buick. The driver of the motorcycle, Harold Joseph Sweeney III, 56, of Columbia, Maryland, was ejected from his vehicle. He was transported to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, where he died. The driver of the Buick, a female, was transported to Howard County General Hospital for treatment of her injuries.

Eastbound I-70 was closed for about an hour following the crash. The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration assisted with the road closure. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

Since Wednesday, state troopers are also investigating three fatal crashes in Worcester County and one each in Baltimore, Somerset and Prince George’s counties. For the year, Maryland State Police have investigated 137 fatal crashes, up from 120 at the same point in 2020. This represents a 17 percent increase over the past year. Troopers have also responded to 16,165 crashes in 2021, up from 14,224 over the same period in 2020.

 The Maryland State Police are continuing to work to combat impaired, aggressive and distracted driving across the state. Troopers have recorded 4,849 DUI arrests in 2021, up from 4,401 at the same point last year.   

Troopers have conducted dozens of initiatives over the past year to reduce vehicle fatalities. The most recent initiative came over the weekend when Maryland State Police partnered with Maryland Transportation Authority Police, Montgomery County Police, and the Prince George’s County Police to conduct a cooperative high visibility patrol initiative late Friday night into early Saturday morning.

Efforts were focused on I-495 from the Woodrow Wilson Bridge in Prince George’s County to the American Legion Memorial Bridge in Montgomery County and on US Route 50 from Washington D.C to the Anne Arundel County line, and major roadways leading to them. This resulted in law enforcement recording 291 traffic stops, while issuing 315 citations, 205 warnings, 80 safety equipment repair orders and 8 civil citations. Troopers and officers removed 21 impaired drivers from the roadways and seized two illegal guns. In addition, there were five people arrested on warrants and other criminal charges. 

In addition, the State Police Impaired Driving Reduction Effort, or SPIDRE Team, recorded 7 DUI arrests, while making 19 traffic stops and issuing 54 citations and 10 warnings over the weekend. The SPIDRE Team has recorded 260 DUI arrests in 2021.

Maryland State Police will continue to conduct traffic safety initiatives throughout the coming months.  These initiatives are data-driven and will be focused in areas where crash data indicates they are most needed. 

###

CONTACT: Office of Media Communications, msp.media@maryland.gov