Detectives with the Metropolitan Police Department’s Major Crash Investigations Unit are investigating a fatal multi-vehicle collision that occurred on Friday, April 5, 2019, on Interstate 295.
The preliminary investigation revealed that at approximately 2:45 am, the operator of a 2015 Kia Optima was travelling northbound on Interstate 295 in the southbound lanes of travel. While traveling in the wrong direction on Interstate 295, the driver collided head-on with a 2010 Mercedes Benz. Following this collision, the Kia Optima struck a 2014 Toyota Corolla that was also traveling southbound on Interstate 295. During these collisions, a Chevrolet Suburban was also traveling southbound on Interstate 295 and in an attempt to avoid the crash, the operator made an evasive maneuver causing the vehicle to lose control and crash into a concrete barrier.
The operator of the Chevrolet Suburban was pronounced on the scene. The operator of the Kia Optima was transported to an area hospital for life-threatening injuries and was later pronounced. The occupants of the Mercedes Benz and the passenger in the Chevrolet Suburban were transported to an area hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.
The decedents have been identified as 36-year-old Lance Antonio Way, of Silver Spring, MD and 53-year-old Audrey Wimbish, of Southeast, DC.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is requested to contact the Metropolitan Police Department at (202) 727-9099.