PIKESVILLE, MD — A tragic incident unfolded early Sunday morning in Baltimore County, resulting in the death of 56-year-old Leo Anthony Brooks Jr. of Reisterstown, Maryland, following a crash believed to be linked to street racing. Brooks was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical services.
The Maryland State Police, responding from the Golden Ring Barrack, arrived at the accident site around 4:50 a.m. on Interstate 795 North near McDonogh Road in Owings Mills. Preliminary findings suggest that Brooks, driving a 2017 Mercedes, was involved in a street race with another unidentified vehicle when he lost control, leading to a collision with a 2006 Jeep Liberty. The driver of the Jeep, who was not participating in the street racing, did not sustain injuries.
The incident prompted responses from the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration for road closures and the Baltimore County Fire Department. This accident underscores the dangers of speeding and aggressive driving, highlighted by statistics from the MDOT MVA’s Maryland Highway Safety Office showing an annual average of 84 fatalities and nearly 5,600 injuries related to such behavior on Maryland roads from 2018 to 2022. Maryland State Police urge all drivers to adhere to speed limits and practice safe driving habits to prevent future tragedies.