ELLICOTT CITY, MD – A fatal wrong-way crash in Howard County early Monday morning is under investigation by Maryland State Police. The collision claimed the life of 49-year-old Fred Eromosele Ehimen of Columbia, Maryland, after a stolen vehicle driven by a teenager struck his car head-on.
The crash occurred just before 12:30 a.m. on the ramp from westbound Interstate 70 to southbound U.S. 29. Authorities say a 2013 Ford Explorer, driven by a 17-year-old from Baltimore, was traveling the wrong way on the ramp when it collided with Ehimen’s Toyota Camry. Emergency responders pronounced Ehimen dead at the scene.
The teenage driver was airlifted to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center for treatment, while two passengers in the Explorer, a 13-year-old and a 16-year-old, were transported to local hospitals by ambulance. Their current conditions have not been released.
Further investigations revealed that the Ford Explorer had been reported stolen before the crash. The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office had attempted to stop the vehicle, leading to a pursuit involving both the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office and Howard County Police. However, officers terminated the chase several miles before the fatal collision.
Maryland State Police, assisted by Howard County Police and the Maryland Department of Transportation, responded to the crash scene and managed the road closure. Investigators are working to determine additional details regarding the events leading up to the crash.
The Maryland State Police Crash Team is leading the investigation, and charges are pending consultation with the Howard County State’s Attorney’s Office. Authorities urge anyone with information about the incident to come forward as they continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the fatal crash.
