MITCHELLVILLE, MD – A high-speed chase ended in catastrophe Friday evening when a Kia Sorento crashed into a tree and caught fire, resulting in four fatalities.
The Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Unit is investigating the details surrounding the incident. The crash occurred in the area of the 12800 block of Woodmore Road, roughly 2.5 miles from where officers had initially attempted a traffic stop for expired temporary tags. All four occupants of the vehicle were pronounced dead at the scene.
Fire and EMS quickly responded and managed to extinguish the blaze. Despite all lifesaving measures, there were no survivors. Due to extensive burn injuries, the victims could not be immediately identified by age or gender.
Officers are conducting an in-depth investigation to confirm the identities of the deceased, and will release the names once the families have been notified.
Preliminary findings indicate that police officers in the vicinity of Lottsford Road and Palmetto Drive noticed the Kia Sorento with expired tags and initiated a traffic stop. The driver of the Kia accelerated away from the scene, leading officers on a brief chase before disappearing from sight. Attempts to relocate the vehicle were unsuccessful.
An independent witness reported that approximately four minutes after the police ceased pursuit, the Kia Sorento attempted to pass another vehicle by using the shoulder of Woodmore Road. It was during this maneuver that the driver lost control, resulting in the fatal collision with a tree.
Further investigation disclosed that the Kia Sorento had been involved in an armed carjacking earlier that day in the city of Greenbelt. The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to resolve the many unanswered questions surrounding this tragic event.