Three people were injured Wednesday night when their car veered off the roadway and hit a tree in Oakland Mills, Howard County police said.

Police said the driver apparently failed to handle a sharp curve in the northbound lane of Oakland Mills Road near Old Montgomery Road around 10 p.m.

The 1986 Grand Am then crossed the center line and rolled onto a grassy area on the opposite side of the road, where it struck a tree.

Police say early review of the accident suggests that the passengers may not have been wearing seat belts. The vehicle also may have been operating without headlights, police said.

Andre Fetchet, 20, of Columbia and a unidentified 14-year-old front-seat passenger who suffered hip injuries were flown by a Medevac helicopter to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore.

Mr. Fetchet and the youth were treated and released early yesterday.

A 16-year-old girl who had been in the back seat was treated and released at Howard County General Hospital. Police did not identify the girl.

The police department's Traffic Enforcement Section is investigating.