A single-vehicle rollover accident in southern Maryland quickly turned into a two-car fatality with multiple bystander injuries during the early morning hours of May 2. Through a series of unfortunate events, the driver of a pickup truck that crashed and rolled over on Hurley’s Neck Road was killed when a second car hit the truck just as several Good Samaritans were trying to save the man.
The incident occurred, according to police reports, around 3 a.m. early Saturday morning when Christopher J. Atkinson of Mardela somehow lost control of his pickup truck, causing the vehicle to roll over, ending up with a section of the vehicle remaining in the darkened roadway.
Reports out of the Wicomico County Sheriff’s office said a second Mardela resident, Mike T. Brown, and two juvenile female passengers stopped their car and attempted to provide assistance. As the three were trying to free Atkinson from his Dodge pickup, a 2008 Honda Civic driven by 22-year-old William R. Morgan of Salisbury slammed into the passenger side of the pickup truck.
The impact from the Honda resulted in fatal injuries to Atkinson, who was declared dead at the scene by the medical examiner. The Honda driver and the three Good Samaritans were all transported by ambulance to Peninsula Regional Medical Center where they were treated for non-life-threatening injuries received at the scene of the crash.
According to authorities, this accident remains under investigation guided by the Maryland State Police Crash Team, but the eventual outcome will define the next steps. Whether the initial rollover was a result of driver error or defective equipment, the subsequent death of the pickup driver and the personal injuries received by the people trying to help could possibly have been avoided.
If you, a relative or someone you care about has been injured in a vehicle accident, we recommend you contact a Maryland Car Accident Attorney. In cases such as this, you need experienced legal professionals to represent you during a potentially difficult time and to watch out for your best interests. The lawyers at Lebowitz-Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers, are ready to assist you.
Mardela crash claims man’s life, injures Good Samaritans, DelmarvaNow.com, May 2, 2009