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Six construction workers were killed and a driver was hospitalized early Wednesday afternoon in a collision on the west side of Interstate 695 that closed the beltway both ways for hours and snarled traffic, according to Maryland State Police.
Two cars collided on I-695 in Woodlawn north of Security Boulevard at about 12:40 p.m. Wednesday in the highway’s left lane, causing one vehicle to flip into a construction zone and strike workers, police said Wednesday night.
[ Police identify six construction workers killed Wednesday in Baltimore beltway crash ]
The vehicle that flipped, a gray Acura operated by Lisa Adrienna Lea, 54, of Randallstown, flipped across temporary jersey barriers and struck workers after hitting the front of a white Volkswagen operated by Melachi Brown, 20, of Windsor Mill, police said in a news release. Lea was attempting to change lanes when her vehicle struck Brown’s car.
Lea was taken to University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore and is receiving treatment for her injuries. Brown was not injured, and stopped farther up the roadway.
The identities of the six construction workers who died won’t be released until next of kin are notified, police said. Police said charges are pending the outcome of the investigation.
Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board responded, and are looking into the matter in coordination with state police.
The collision on the inner loop led police to close both directions of the Baltimore Beltway between Liberty Road and Security Boulevard for several hours, causing significant traffic backups. Two lanes of the inner loop reopened by 4 p.m., and all lanes of the outer loop reopened by 4:30 p.m. The beltway was fully reopened by 6:45 p.m.
Police initially said the Acura entered the work zone for unknown reasons, but later added they believed a second vehicle “may have been involved” in the crash. They described the Volkswagen’s involvement late Wednesday night.
The Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration declined to comment on what construction work was being done Wednesday.
The Morning Sun
The state has begun work in the area on what it calls the Triple Bridges Project to address traffic congestion where the beltway, or I-695, meets I-70. Built in the 1960s, the interchange handles far more traffic than it was designed for, according to a state webpage on the project.
Another project that started in 2021 aims to address congestion along I-695 from I-70 to Maryland 43 in White Marsh. Designed to optimize the highway’s capacity and reduce congestion, that project includes convert portions of the existing median shoulder to a travel lane during the morning and evening rush hours, according to that project’s state webpage.
Calling the incident “horrific,” Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. offered “sincere condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of those who have lost their lives in today’s tragic crash.”
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore tweeted that his “heart goes out to the victims and the families affected by the tragic crash on the 695 beltway this afternoon.”
The collision affected school dismissal. The Baltimore County Public School System said it prepared for significant traffic delays.
“We will work as quickly as possible to transport students safely this afternoon,” the school system tweeted.
State police asked anyone with information on the accident to call the Golden Ring Barrack at 410-780-2700.