Accident leaves 3-year-old dead; police say toddler was sitting on aunt's lap in speeding car
A 16-year-old speeding along a winding road.
A 3-year-old sitting in his aunt's lap, in the back seat, with a seat belt wrapped around both.
Occupants screaming for the teen to slow down.
This is the scenario described by Anne Arundel County police after a car filled with teens and the child crashed into a tree Wednesday night in Hanover, just north of Patapsco Valley State Park. The toddler died.
Police and prosecutors are still investigating the deadly crash. The picture from The Sun's Gene Sweeney Jr. shows the skid marks, painted blue by police investigators, and the tree alongside Ridge Road, near the Elkridge Furnace Inn.
Here is the full story by The Sun's Liz Kay, and the full statement by Anne Arundel County police follows:
NORTHERN DISTRICT
FATAL SINGLE VEHICLE CRASH
Type of Collision: Single Vehicle
Location of Incident: Ridge Road near Furnace Avenue
Date & Time: June 8, 2011 at 8:03 p.m.
Motor Vehicle #1: 1995 Plymouth Acclaim
Driver: Buck John Benny, 16, of 3013 Bero Road, Halethorpe, Md
Injuries/Condition: Critical/stable
Passenger #1: Gary Wayne Ellison, 18, of 742 5th Avenue, Landsdowne, Md
(Right Front)
Injuries/Condition: Critical/stable
Passenger #2: John Raymond Ward, 16, of 1950 Hollins Ferry Road, Baltimore, Md
(Right Rear)
Injuries/Condition: Critical/stable
Passenger #3: Britney L. Shiflett, 18, of 3009 Frederick Road, Baltimore, Md
(Center Rear)
Injuries/Condition: Critical/unstable
Passenger #4: Joseph Eugene Sutherlin, 3, of 3009 Frederick Road, Baltimore, Md
(Center Rear)
Injuries/Condition: Fatal
Passenger #5: Jamie L. Shiflett, 17, of 3009 Frederick Road, Baltimore, Md
(Left Rear)
Injuries/Condition: Critical/stable
Synopsis:
On June 8, 2011, at approximately 8:03 p.m., officers from the Northern District responded for a report of a vehicle collision on Ridge Road near Furnace Avenue in Hanover. Officers arrived on scene and located a 1995 Plymouth Acclaim, which struck a large tree.
The initial investigation revealed the vehicle was traveling south on Ridge Road when it lost control for an unknown reason. The vehicle then struck a large tree adjacent to the roadway. The vehicle was occupied by five passengers and the driver. All of the vehicle occupants sustained severe injuries. The three-year-old juvenile male was seated on the lap of the center, rear passenger and not in a child safety seat. The three-year-old was transported to St Agnes Hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased by medical staff. All of the remaining vehicle occupants were transported by ambulance to the University of Maryland Hospital Shock Trauma Unit.
Preliminary investigation determined that speed, reckless driving and driver error were contributing factors to the crash. The severity of the injuries and the death of the three-year-old child were the result of the non-usage of occupant safety restraints/seat belts and a child safety seat. The investigation is continuing.
Comments
Why are you releasing the names of minors?
Posted by: Sue Schroeder | June 10, 2011 10:52 AM
From Peter: Anne Arundel County police released the names of the juveniles. Law enforcement does not make public names of youths charged as juveniles. These teens have not been charged with any crimes.
Posted by: Peter Hermann | June 10, 2011 11:02 AM
Peter, what's the likelihood of charges being filed, and who will charges be filed against? If charges are filed against the driver, and the driver is charged as a juvenile, how will the release of the driver's name now affect the case? (Not trying to be contrary - I am genuinely curious. Thanks!)
Posted by: Chris | June 10, 2011 11:21 AM
R U SERIOUS?? Y not publish their names, did it matter that all of them were juvinilles with no real driving experiencef of the roads!! It was an innocent baby who had no choice or say in the matter of even being in that car it is the baby n the parents/fam that I feel 4!!! My thoughts n prayers go out 2 u n I am so sorry there is nothing worse then the lose of a child!!!! N yes the driver should b charged with vehicaular manslaughter point blank/ plain n simple!!!!!! What were they even doing that time of the evening out there that many minors in a car anyway?? That innocent baby is gone n none of them even thought about that I'm sure b 4 they started driven but things happen n there r serious consequencs 4 them no matter the age!!!! I am sorry 4 the drivers family as well but I still stand by my opinion Veh Manslaughter!!!!! Maybe next time other juvenile kids will think b 4 doing something so stupid n reckless.. JUS THINK
Posted by: Missy | June 10, 2011 6:21 PM
Those kids should ALL be held accountable, especially the 2 Aunts who I assume were acting as babysitters/guardians of the child at the time. What right did they have to be joyriding w/ a bunch of boys and their precious nephew?????? That little boy should have never been in that car in the 1st place. The driver should be charged w/ veh mans, I don't care if he was only 16, he should've been more careful, he had passengers in his car, no matter what their age...
Posted by: jaime | June 13, 2011 10:08 AM
ALL OF THEM SHOULD BE CHARGED AS ADULTS!! THEY KNEW BETTER!! Unless they really are that STUPID to think that a child doesnt need to be strapped in and that they could speed. I hope the guilt from killing a child haunts their soul FOREVER!!
Posted by: Brianna | June 13, 2011 11:39 AM
Such a sad tragedy.
I use this road to get to work and it's a nice shortcut and a pleasant drive if treated with respect. Not respected - it's foolhardy, deer, bicyclists, even a horseback rider the other month. On occasion, I have seen people abusing it, acting like it's their personal little race track... I see young adults/teenagers appear suddenly in my rear-view mirror and they become frustrated with my prudent speed.
Years ago, one of these scoff-laws passed me on a curve, flipped me off and disappeared into the curves ahead. Seconds later I came upon him - car dead in the road... He hit a deer!! I asked him if he was o.k. and he just glared at me. I took this has a "yes" and told him to "grow up" as I drove away.
I have always had the thought since that time, that hitting the deer was a blessing for that kid, but maybe not. Some people never learn.
Posted by: Twilly | June 22, 2011 1:28 PM
ya'll dont know these people,i do,they was just trying to have a fun day when the driver had to b stupid n drive fast,joj was a sweet child n will b missed but dont go running ur mouth off bout him,none ya'll knew him!
Posted by: anonomus | October 7, 2011 2:49 PM