Three car crash kills one in Damascus

A three-car collision claimed the life of one driver and seriously injured another in Damascus Monday night, March 2, 2026. According to police, the driver of a Toyota Camry was traveling northbound on Ridge Road (Route 27) at a high rate of speed. Just past Sweepstakes Drive, he allegedly struck a Lexus NX350, and was ejected onto the roadway. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Lexus driver was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening. She was trapped in her vehicle and had to be extricated by first responders. A Ford Fusion was also involved in the collision. Police did not specify the manner in which it became involved, but confirmed that the Fusion driver was uninjured. Another tragic reminder that Montgomery County has failed to build the Damascus Bypass.

Driver arrested in fatal Sam Eig Highway collision in Gaithersburg

Gaithersburg City police arrested the driver of a Jeep Compass that struck a Toyota Corrolla that was stopped at a red light on Sam Eig Highway from behind around 8:30 AM on Saturday, May 31, 2025. Montgomery County police report that the Jeep driver was taken into custody for driving without a license, and suspicion of driving under the influence. The case became much more serious this week, when one of the two occupants of the Corrolla, Myrtle Gottlieb, 88, of Rockville, tragically passed away from her injuries on June 4. She and the driver of the Corrolla had both been transported to local hospitals after the crash, with Gottlieb in critical condition at the time.

A couple of interesting notes about this case: The press release stated that DUI test results for the driver "are pending at this time." It does not indicate what type of test what administered to determine blood alcohol level of the driver. A breathalyzer test would have provided instant results; blood test results would indeed take weeks, if not longer. Second, the driver's name and hometown were not provided in the press release, even though the driver is 18 years old - an adult. 

Gaithersburg woman killed in Germantown collision

A young Gaithersburg woman has died after an automobile collision on MD 355 in Germantown. Daniela Fernanda Pineda, 20, was driving a blue 2007 Honda Civic southbound on Frederick Road around 12:16 PM on Tuesday, December 26, 2023. For reasons yet to be determined by investigators, Pineda's car crossed the median into oncoming traffic, striking a northbound 2021 Ford Transit van in the vicinity of Wheatfield Drive.

Pineda was transported to a local hospital in critical condition. Tragically, she later succumbed to her injuries at the hospital. The driver of the van was also taken to a hospital. Montgomery County police describe his injuries as non-life-threatening.

This accident is still under active investigation by the Collision Reconstruction Unit of the Montgomery County Police Department. Anyone with information regarding this collision is asked to contact CRU detectives at (240) 773-6620. 

Pedestrian struck in Germantown Sunday

Montgomery County Police detectives from the Collision Reconstruction Unit are investigating an accident that left a Germantown pedestrian in critical condition last night. Officers and fire/EMS personnel responded to a crash around 10:07 PM Sunday near the intersection of MD 355 and Gunners Branch Road. They found an unconscious adult male in the northbound lanes of 355. He was transported to a local trauma center for treatment.

According to police, the 37-year-old pedestrian had allegedly been struck by a 2000 Chrysler Town and Country minivan, driven by James Kellogg McHenry of Montgomery Village. The driver remained on the scene and cooperated with police in the investigation. He has not been charged in the incident.

Anyone with information regarding this collision is asked to contact the Collision Reconstruction Unit at 240.773.6620.