Claire Lereau, 94, of Vienna, VA, died after a motor vehicle collision that occurred July 5, 2016, at approximately 2:47 p.m. members of the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Bureau and Crash Reconstruction Team responded to the intersection of Chesapeake Beach Road (MD Route 260) and Shields Drive, Dunkirk, Maryland.

Upon arrival units located three vehicles that had been involved in a collision. The vehicles were as follows: A 2009 Nissan Xterra operated by Evelyn Marie Matos, 20, of Lothian, MD; a 2014 BMW 325i operated by Sean Thomas Ashe, 46, of Dunkirk, MD; and a 2012 Chevrolet Malibu operated by Walter Mark Ryan of Annandale, VA.

Preliminary investigation revealed a 2014 BMW 325i, operated by Ashe, was stopped in the eastbound lane of Maryland Route 260 waiting to make a left turn onto Shields Drive.

The 2009 Nissan Xterra, operated by Matos, was traveling eastbound on Maryland Route 260. Matos advised that she didn’t see the BMW until the last second and attempted to avoid a collision with it but was unsuccessful.

The Nissan struck the rear of the BMW. This collision pushed the BMW into the westbound lane of Maryland Route 260.

The 2012 Chevrolet Malibu, operated by Ryan, was traveling westbound on Maryland Route 260 when it was struck by the BMW that had been pushed into the westbound lane as a result of the initial collision.

After striking the BMW, the Nissan rolled onto the passenger side and came to rest in the eastbound lane of Maryland Route 260. The rear seat passenger of the Chevy Malibu, Claire Lereau, 94, of Vienna, VA, was transported to Baltimore Shock Trauma for injuries received during the collision.

Lereau succumbed to her injuries at Baltimore Shock Trauma and was pronounced dead by the hospital staff. All the operators and the other passengers of the vehicles involved refused medical treatment on the scene.

At this time it appears that Matos’ failure to control speed to avoid a collision is one of the contributing factors to the collision; however, the investigation is on-going.

The collision remains under the investigation by the Crash Reconstruction Team. Anyone with additional information about the collision is asked to contact Cpl. Phelps of CRT at 410-535- 2800 or via e-mail at phelpsts@co.cal.md.us.