An elderly woman was killed and three others were injured in Frederick when a sport utility vehicle cut in front of the car in which she was riding -- one of three fatal traffic accidents reported by police yesterday.

State police said Lou Ethel Harrison, 82, who was pronounced dead at the scene, was a front-seat passenger in a 1990 Nissan driven by Taquita Thomas. The Nissan collided with a 1992 Ford Explorer when the Ford steered into its path on eastbound Route 180 near Mount Zion Road, police said.

Thomas, 49, who lived with Harrison; her back-seat passenger, Yvonne Harrison Campbell, 65; and the other driver, George Thomas Danner Jr., 36, were injured in the 11 a.m. collision. All are from Frederick.

No one has been charged in the accident.

The other crashes occurred in Southern Maryland.

In Charles County, Robert Thomas Ching, 32, of Charlotte Hall apparently was asleep at the wheel when his 1994 Nissan truck veered off Route 5 in Hughesville and slammed into a utility pole about 8: 45 a.m., state police said.

The St. Mary's County sheriff's office said Marvin Lewis Brooks, 45, of Mechanicsville was killed about 2: 30 p.m. when his motorcycle collided with a 1993 Ford automobile on Three Notch Road. The driver of the Ford was not injured, authorities said.

Pub Date: 4/11/99