A Silver Spring man died Sunday after a car crash in Laurel early Saturday morning, and police are now investigating whether he was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident.

Kyle Joseph Lancon, 19, was driving northbound in the southbound lanes of U.S. 29 of Johns Hopkins Road at about 2:52 a.m. on Saturday, police report, when his 2004 Honda Civic struck John Park, a 20-year-old from Annandale, Va., driving a 2000 Toyota Camry. Both men were taken to Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where Lancon was pronounced dead Sunday and Park remains in critical condition.

A preliminary investigation by police indicates that Lancon was at fault, and that speed, alcohol, and the failure to wear a seatbelt may have been contributing factors to the crash.

Court records indicate that Lancon had a string of traffic violations in just the past year. Since last November, Lancon was caught speeding three times, each time going more than twenty miles an hour above the posted speed limit. His most recent violation was for running a flashing red traffic light.

jtorbati@baltsun.com