2 Drivers Dead After Second Wrong-Way Crash On I-97 In Anne Arundel Co. In 5 Months
MILLERSVILLE, Md. (WJZ)-- Wrong-way crashes kill five people in five months along one stretch of highway in Anne Arundel County. Drivers along I-97 are on high alert.
Monique Griego has more on the latest deadly crash.
State police say a 25-year-old driver was heading the wrong way on I-97 when she hit another car head-on. WJZ has the frantic 911 calls from witnesses.
Just after 1:30 a.m., I-97 near Millersville was the scene of a violent crash that left two cars mangled. But 911 calls quickly revealed, one driver made a fatal mistake.
911 Caller: "There was a car going the wrong way and another car just didn't even see it. They just completely smacked into each other."
State police say Kelley Whitt, 25, of Pasadena was heading southbound in the northbound lanes of I-97 when she smashed head-on into a car driven by Jianguo Pan of Glen Burnie.
The crash killed both drivers.
911 Caller: "It's terrible! You gotta get out here fast!"
The accident is eerily similar to the wreck in January when a 19-year-old driver heading the wrong way on I-97 got all the way to Route 5o before hitting another car.
Four people were killed and while alcohol was later found to be involved, so far, there's no evidence of that in this crash.
"At this point troopers do not believe there was any alcohol involved, but we're waiting for toxicology results," Elena Russo, spokesperson for the Maryland State Police, said.
WJZ called the State Highway Administration to see if they had any concerns considering the recent crashes. They say from an engineering standpoint, there is nothing wrong with this road.
Drivers also aren't clear how it could happen twice.
"I don't know if it's the road signs, lights leading up to it, people getting confused," Michael Kelley said.
"The roads are well marked, the exits are far apart. I have no idea how you could end up going the wrong way on 97," said David Bodley.
Police say they are still trying to figure out how Whitt ended up on the wrong side of the road.
Toxicology results could take a few weeks.
