A 51-year-old Sykesville man has been charged with second-degree assault and reckless endangerment in an April 21 accident on U.S. 29 in Ellicott City.

Robert Archie Pitcher of the 5900 block of Grace Lee Ave. was taken before a Howard County court commissioner yesterday and formally charged and released on an unsecured bond.

Howard County police said a man was driving in the center lane of southbound U.S. 29 near U.S. 40 when a car tried to pass on the left. The driver of the first car "intentionally moved to the left to prevent [the second car] from passing," according to court documents.

The second driver lost control of the car; it jumped the median and struck a car in the northbound lane.

The drivers of the second car and the northbound car were sent to Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore in serious condition.

Pub Date: 5/20/99