2 Die In I-95 Crash Speeding From Police In Howard County: HCPD

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — A double fatal crash closed lanes on Interstate 95 in Howard County for approximately six hours Thursday. Authorities said a driver and his front-seat passenger died after trying to elude police, who had been responding to a call about drug activity in Laurel.

Malik Emmanual Britton, 24, of Laurel, and front-seat passenger Jonathan Asare Somuah, 21, of Silver Spring, both died after the crash, police said. Authorities reported finding drugs and digital scales in their car.

Officials received a call about drug activity in a Toyota Camry in the 9100 block of All Saints Road in Laurel at 2:17 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12, Howard County police reported.

When police were responding, the driver of the 2004 Toyota Camry — later identified as Britton — suddenly accelerated, officials reported. As officers tried to stop the vehicle, they said the driver took I-95 north at MD 216.

Witnesses told authorities that the driver of the Camry was speeding as he tried to make an illegal u-turn on the highway and lost control as he entered southbound I-95, where he was hit by a tractor-trailer. Also during the incident, police said the Camry hit a Subaru Forrester and ran it off the road.

The 58-year-old Virginia man driving the tractor-trailer and 60-year-old Laurel woman driving the Subaru were taken to Howard County General Hospital with minor injuries, police said.

Britton and Somuah were taken to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in critical condition. Police said Britton died shortly after the crash, and Somuah was pronounced deceased overnight.

Neither was wearing a seat belt, authorities reported.

Two digital scales and large quantities of drugs and cash were found inside the car, police said.

By 4 p.m., some lanes on I-95 north were allowing traffic through past the exit for MD 216. Southbound lanes were closed until 8:20 p.m., police said.

All lanes in the area had not reopened until 8:45 p.m., according to state transportation officials.

INITIAL REPORT: Interstate 95 is closed in Howard County due to a collision. The crash happened after 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12, according to state transportation officials.

Officials said I-95 was shut down in both directions at the exit for MD 32 after 3 p.m.

One person was flown by medevac to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center from the crash, according to WBAL Radio, which said one vehicle overturned and went into the woods as a result of the three-vehicle collision on I-95 south.