FREDERICK, Md – Maryland State Police continue to investigate an early morning deadly crash in Frederick.
The identity of the deceased victim has not yet been confirmed. The individual was the only occupant of a Nissan Rogue involved in the crash and pronounced deceased at the scene by EMS responders.
Three dump trucks were also involved in the crash. Two of the drivers, Shawn Gill, 46, of Gaithersburg, and Mark Tew, 27, of Hanover, were transported to Frederick Memorial Hospital. One of the drivers, Richard Aldar, 53, of Sykesville, refused medical treatment at the scene.
Police say that the preliminary investigation indicated that shortly after 9:00 a.m., all four vehicles were traveling westbound on I-70 at the ramp from northbound I-270 in Frederick.
Police believe Aldar, the driver of one of the dump trucks, stopped in lane 3 on westbound I-70 due to a motorcade passing through the area. A second dump truck, being operated by Tew, subsequently stopped as did the driver of the Nissan Rogue. The third dump truck, operated by Gill, slammed into the rear of the Nissan, causing all four vehicles to collide into one another.
After the impact, police say an explosion occurred causing the two dump trucks and the Nissan Rogue to catch fire. The third dump truck sustained minimal fire damage due to its proximity to the other cars.
The reconstruction of the incident is being conducted by troopers assigned to the Maryland State Police CRASH Team. Personnel from the Maryland State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division responded and are inspecting the commercial vehicles involved while assisting with the investigation. Assistance was also provided by Frederick County Fire and EMS at the scene.
The Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration CHART Team responded quickly and established detours around the area. Lanes were closed for approximately seven hours.
