The Bel Air Bypass was closed in both directions between Route 24 and Vale Road for about 7 hours Friday after a three-vehicle, head-on, double-fatality accident occurred around 5 p.m.
Four people were trapped in one of the vehicles – a minivan believed to be carrying several children – and two Medevac helicopters have transported the pediatric patients to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. A Johns Hopkins doctor was also transported to the scene of the accident by helicopter to help rescuers remove two additional victims who were said to be heavily entrapped in a vehicle. A third Medevac was on the way to take yet another pediatric patient to the hospital.
Traffic was stopped in both directions and backed up to a standstill at Tollgate Road. By 6:45 p.m. reports indicated at least two people had died from the injuries sustained in the crash.
Here’s what Maryland State Police said:
TROOPERS ON THE SCENE OF MULTI-VEHICLE FATAL CRASH IN HARFORD COUNTY
(Belair, MD) – Maryland State Police are on the scene of a multi-vehicle crash involving three vehicles traveling on the Route 1 bypass that claimed the lives of two people.
Two people have been pronounced dead at the scene. Names are not being released at this time because positive identifications and notifications to family members have not been made.
The injured are identified as Christopher Lentz, 37, of Glen Arm, Maryland, and Bryan Kearchner, 36, of Delta, Pennsylvania. There are two additional injured victims whose names are being withheld pending family notification.
At approximately 5:00 p.m. today, Maryland State Police from the Belair Barrack responded to the Route 1 bypass, north of Route 24, in Harford County for a reported serious motor vehicle crash. Upon arrival, troopers found three vehicles had been involved in the crash and two persons were deceased at the scene.
Although in the early stages of the investigation, preliminary information indicates the vehicle operated by Christopher Lentz, a Jeep Cherokee, was traveling on the southbound shoulder of the Route 1 bypass. For unknown reasons, Lentz crossed the center line and struck a Saturn mini-van head-on which was traveling northbound in lane two. The mini-van, carrying four passengers, spun out of control and subsequently struck a 2004 Ford van being operated by Bryan Kearchner. Kearchner was reportedly traveling behind the Saturn mini-van in the same direction..
There were two adults and two children in the Saturn mini-van. The driver was flown to Shock Trauma and one of the two children was flown to the Johns Hopkins Hospital. The other two passengers, an adult and another child, were pronounced dead at the scene.
Lentz, the driver of the Jeep Cherokee, was flown to Shock Trauma with injuries deemed serious at the time of the crash. Kearchner, the driver of the Ford van was transported by ambulance to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.
At this time, north and southbound lanes of the Route 1 bypass will be closed until approximately
11:30 p.m. while troopers from the Belair Barrack and the Maryland State Police Crash Team investigate the incident. State Highway Administration personnel are on the scene diverting traffic around the area.Two Maryland State Police medevacs and The University of Maryland Shock Trauma Go-Team responded to the scene. The Harford County Sheriff’s Office and emergency personnel from Harford County, Belair and the Fallston Fire Departments also responded for assistance.
This investigation is continuing…
According to WJZ.com:
BEL AIR, Md. (WJZ) Rescuers respond to a three-vehicle crash on the Bel Air bypass in Harford County.
Mike Perry reports six people are trapped in a van following the crash that happened just after 5 p.m. Friday south of Route 24.Another vehicle had heavy front end damage. Rescuers extricated someone from that vehicle.
Three medevac choppers have been requested to the scene.
And now Maryland State Police has identified the victims:
VICTIMS IDENTIFIED IN FATAL CRASH IN HARFORD COUNTY
(Belair, MD) –The four victims occupying a mini-van in the multi-vehicle fatal crash on the Route 1 bypass yesterday evening in Harford County have been identified.
The deceased victims are identified as Katherine S. Brady, 31, and Wilson Brady, 10, of the 4200 block of Soth Avenue in Baltimore, Maryland. Katherine was the front seat passenger. Wilson was one of two children seated in the rear of the vehicle. Both victims were pronounced dead at the scene.
The two injured victims, of the same address, who were also in the mini-van have been identified. The driver, Stephen M. Brady, 32, was flown to R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma. The second child seated in the rear, Ian Brady, 2, was flown to the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Both remain in serious, but stable condition.
Charges are pending against the driver of a Jeep Cherokee, Christopher Lentz, 37, of Glen Arm, Maryland. Lentz was operating the Cherokee when he swerved into oncoming traffic and struck the mini-van head-on in the crash at approximately 5:00 p.m. yesterday evening. The mini-van then spun out of control causing a subsequent crash with a 2004 Ford van which was traveling behind the Brady family.
Bryan Kearchner, 36, of the unit-block of Adams Road in Delta, Pennsylvania, was the operator of the Ford van. He was transported by ambulance with non life-threatening injuries to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.
Troopers from the Belair Barrack and the Maryland State Police CRASH team are consulting with the Harford County’s State Attorney regarding the incident as the investigation continues.
The Route 1 bypass was closed down for approximately seven hours while investigators gathered evidence and conducted the preliminary investigation. Emergency assistance at the scene was provided by Maryland State Police Aviation, the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Go-Team, the State Highway Administration, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, Harford County, Belair and Fallston Fire Departments.
This investigation is ongoing…
Does anyone know the identities of the crash victims? I live 30 seconds from the bypass and drive it every day…I’ve been listening to rescue vehicles for the last 2 hrs and it’s a bit unnerving…any info would be appreciated, thanks.
My heart goes out to those who lost loved ones…
The driver of the vehicle – who by media accounts crossed the yellow line and hit a passenger van head-on – has a criminal history which includes drug possession, distribution and theft.
Gee, I wonder what the tox screen will reveal?
Sad and senseless!
Reality Check is right’ another one running free who should be doing Hard time is out bringing misery’ & suffering too innocent people.
Any body’ Heard how the teacher is doing from North Harford. the local paper say’s he was picked up by 3 healthy deputy’s. for questioning for inapproaite touching. The ” Grapevine” is saying’ it’s far more serious. involveing Homeland security.
My prayers, are with everyone and their families that was in the three vehicle crash yesterday. My heart goes out to the husband and child, they lost their wife, mother, son & brother. Please everyone be careful while out on the roads, with the Hoildays all most here, there will be a lot of us and our love ones out shopping and visiting our families.
Please Don’t Drink And Drive !!!
From “the Sun:”
Katherine S. Brady, 31, the front-seat passenger of a minivan that was struck head-on by the Jeep, and Wilson Brady, 10, who was one of two children in the rear seat of the minivan, were pronounced dead at the scene, state police said.
The minivan’s driver, Stephen M. Brady, 32, was in serious condition today at Maryland Shock Trauma Center. The other child, Ian Brady, 2, was in serious condition at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center.
like lots of you, i travel that stretch of road daily….it’s dangerous, and for those sonsabitches on cell phones, racing to the health club…do me a favor…pay attention to what you’re doing, put the cell down…pay attention…i’ve nearly been rear-ended twice, and missed a head-on by inches due to women on cell phones…now beffore you ladies get your drawers in a knot…i’m just relaying the facts of the three xperiences…and each was a woman…i’m sure men, yada yada…very sad, but many of us use cells when the roads dictate paying attention.
just the facts, ma’am…just the facts….
facts are, it might have been drugs that caused this latest tragedy…not a cell…
the guy may not have owned one….NOT…
one other point, the slime bucket Michael the Maniac of Hanson Road….who killed himself by his own hand in his own car…paid the price, and it was a just price…
and the citizens of the community removed the little shrine to the prick…
good thinking Hanson Road Community and any one else responsible for giving the grass a chance to grow around the telephone pole…
Mabey autos that dont have hands free cell phones should have a jammer for cell phones. These jammers are pretty common now .
Go Dagger !
I agree with Hiram cell phone’s have become a scourge. it can’t be that important if it is’ make the call before you leave home or office.if it has to be done pull in a parking lot or a park & ride.
Better yet leave it ”locked” in the trunk or dash. cell phone drivers are becomeing more dangerous than drunk driver’s.
Come on guys, not the cell phone crap. I piloted, navigated, worked a gun system, and talked on 2 different radios all at the same time. I CAN DRIVE AND TALK AT THE SAME TIME. If someone can’t, let’s get him or her off the road. Using the ban cell phone logic, we need to make the police pull to the curb before making a radio call and worse yet make airplanes land before calling for permission to land. Bad drivers drive badly. We don’t teach people to drive here and it shows. I see some horribly dumb things on the road every day, applying makeup, drinking the last drops of coffee head tipped way back, reading a book or newspaper, shaving, and on and on. I am opposed to letting the bad drivers keep on doing bad things by penalizing the rest of us!
Welcome to the friendly’ sky’s of vietnam. enemy ground fire is light to moderate no traffic light’s no on comeing traffic. I could fire and m-60 machine gun adjust artillery for effect.and spit tobacco juice in a bamboo vipers eye (snake) very poisonous snake found in the region of vietnam.
But will not drive with a cell phone to my ear or any where else. the life I save might be mine!.
Dave…two words…”target fixation”. Would you like to clarify your last statement.
Go Dagger !
Dave…
The fact is we will always have mediocre drivers. That’s the reason I don’t have a problem with regulating what they can do. I mentioned target fixation in my last post. That’s something I’m quite sure you can relate to. Those fellas were highly trained. It just happens, and a marginally trained auto driver is even worse. I have been a driver both in Europe and here for 30 years professionally. I have learned one thing. Attentiveness can get you out of a jam. Many times even when you are right you are nothing but a big bulls-eye. This seems to be the case here. Sad but true.
Go Dagger !
Hiram…….. You posted this comment right here…..one other point, the slime bucket Michael the Maniac of Hanson Road….who killed himself by his own hand in his own car…paid the price, and it was a just price…
and the citizens of the community removed the little shrine to the prick…
good thinking Hanson Road Community and any one else responsible for giving the grass a chance to grow around the telephone pole…
what gives you the right to post this right here that story is over and done with and i will let you know angelique comes on here often to see if anyone has offered to help out with the family in that situation and is just so hurt that no one is saying anything to the bastard that cause 10 time more harm than mike… and no one really has anything to say about him and she was hurt when someone removed mikes memorial … question is was it you who did that since you are the only one who has commented and knowing that from the past messages on that board that it meant something for her for it to be there show your disrespect her window out looks the scene and she is scared to place anything there due to the hurt it will cause her if it was to come up missing again…. and what the hell do you do but sit behind a computer and complain about others have you asked her if she needed any help with giving back???? oh no cause you are not a neighbor hood kind of citizen she is working and being a single mother trying to help the mause family out all by herself and does not have no time to think and still dealing with her mourning and for you to post something else that harsh you should be ashamed of yourself….. But if you would please post comments about the issue if you are going to be harsh against one who did wrong and caused a accident then do it and do it on that person only hell atleast mike did not kill any one but himself!!! just hello people please when it comes to that story keep it to yourself cause dagger is about to post a article about her charity things she has going on so she will be on here alot often and she does not need any upset… so if you have any respect for the ones doing good you will understand why i am stating that… god i hope she does not over read that comment!!!
As far as this situation goes i really know nothing about it just over heard about it but my prayers go out to this poor family and i am so sorry to hear about the loss that the poor family is dealing with…. hope everyone recovers to the best of there ability and the dear lord gives them strength to get thru this trying time!!!
But please to any one on here if you have any donations in the way of food, household good ( hygene and cleaning products or things you could donate to a silent auction as in the way of basket goods or art or would like to donate a gift certificate that you have purchased or from your company please contact Angelique who is helping a family of 6 whose family was involved in a server accident which lead a mother fighting everyday in johns hopkins shock trama, a father struggling to keep his family a flote and 4 kids a 12, 2 1/2, 1 and another whos age is unknown at this time…. but they are in need of help!!!! you can contact her at her email…..
ambitiousworker4u@yahoo.com
more info can be found in the article on dagger listed on 10/10/2008 about the carjacking accident!
thank you for understanding and any one who can help out with this cause
Hiram – keep up the good work.
Actually the US Constitution gives him the absolute RIGHT to express his view and the relationship between the two is similar at first glance. Irresponsible people doing horrific things…But Saint Mike was…lets not forget…..more irresponsible,(if that’s possible), in that he was driving around in a carjacked car.
We need an update as to this situation…is there drugs involved…or is this another issue.
Lets also not forget Angeliques efforts to help innocent victims in the Hansen road accident and donate and participate in the silent auction.
We have outrage and good people trying to make lemonade out of lemons….both are important…..both teach us a lesson.
For helping Angeliques fantastic efforts you can e-mail
ambitiousworker4u@yahoo.com
Go Dagger !
Take this with a grain of salt, but I have it from a pretty legit source that the driver of the Jeep, Christopher Lentz, had been pulled over two hours earlier for a hit and run accident on Route 152.
Maryland State Police apparently towed his car after the first accident , but Lentz somehow got another vehicle and was seen driving erratically just before the Bel Air Bypass crash.
Allegedly, Lentz was attempting to pass someone on the shoulder of the Bel Air Bypass, but one of his tires caught the grass and caused him to lose control of his vehicle.
Two accidents, two hours, two lives lost.
The report we heard earlier has now been confirmed. Maryland State Police say Christopher Lentz, the driver who apparently started the double-fatal accident on the Bel Air Bypass Friday, had initiated another crash less than two hours earlier in Joppa.
Read the full story here:
http://www.daggerpress.com/2008/11/10/two-crashes-two-deaths-in-two-hours-for-bel-air-bypass-driver/
i was in wil’s class he was 8 not 10 ian is in 1st grade now and is fine his dad steve is fine now and he got remarried i dont see them much anymore because they left my school. my class was in 3rd grade when it happened and i was at a sock hop with my girlscout troop at the time of the crash. they were on their way to a boy scount camping trip but they originaly were not going to go. the rest of the boys really wanted him to go espshelly his best friend jeremy. wil said that he would ask his parents when he got home and i guess they said ok i wonder if steve regrets even thinks about going on that trip