Update from Calvert County Sheriff’s Office – Names Released
On Jan. 2, at approximately 2:32 p.m., members of the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office and Crash Reconstruction Team responded to the intersection of South Solomons Island Road (MD Route 2/4) and Patuxent Point Parkway, Solomons, for a report of a motor vehicle collision involving a passenger vehicle and commercial motor vehicle.
Upon arrival on the scene units located a 2005 Toyota Camry in the southbound grass shoulder of Route 4. Located partially in the southbound grass shoulder and partially on the paved portion of Route 4 was a 1995 International three axle truck, equipped with a tank to carry petroleum product.
Preliminary investigation revealed the following, A 2005 Toyota, operated by Herbert Spear Sawyer, 86, of Solomons, was traveling northbound on Route 4 and intended to turn left onto Patuxent Point Parkway. The Toyota was also occupied by a front seat passenger, Eugenie Rieder Sawyer, 97, of Solomons.
At the time of the collision Maryland State Highway Administration was conducting traffic light maintenance in the northbound lanes of Route 4. The left turn lane onto Patuxent Point Parkway was open to traffic. The number one through lane of Route 4 was occupied by two SHA warning vehicles and one SHA bucket truck. The number two through lane was open to traffic.
As the Toyota approached the intersection the left turn signal arrow onto Patuxent Point Parkway was displaying red and the through lanes were displaying a steady red. As the through lanes traffic signal changed from red to a steady green, Sawyer made a left turn onto Patuxent Point Parkway from the northbound number two through lane, without yielding to southbound traffic.
The left turn arrow remained at a steady red. As the Toyota entered the intersection a 1995 International truck, operated by Kelly Ronnell Silver, 41, of College Park, was traveling southbound in the number one lane of Route 4. Silver attempted to avoid striking the Toyota by applying the brakes and steering to the right, however he was not able to avoid the collision and subsequently struck the Toyota on the right side of the vehicle. The Toyota was destroyed as a result of the collision and International truck sustained significant damage to the front end and drivetrain.
Herbert Sawyer was transported to Calvert Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead by the CMH medical personnel. Eugenie Sawyer was pronounced dead on the scene by the EMS units. Kelly Silver refused medical treatment on the scene. The bodies of Herbert Sawyer and Eugenie Sawyer were transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore, where autopsies will be performed in order to determine the cause of death.
Although still under investigation, it appears that driver error was a contributing factor to this collision. Cpl. G. Shrawder of the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Team is conducting an investigation into the event that lead up to the collision. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Cpl. G. Shrawder at410-535-2800 or via e-mail at shrawdgm@co.cal.md.us
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