PASADENA, Md. — Three Prince George's County adults were killed in a suspected drunk driving crash Saturday night in Pasadena.
The crash happened a little after 10:30 p.m.
An off-duty Anne Arundel county officer witnessed the whole thing. The officer said the SUV was speeding and driving recklessly on Route 100 towards the Route 10 interchange when the driver lost control and slid off the road.
The SUV began to rotate in a clockwise direction into a grassy roadside culvert that was lined with numerous trees.
The tires dug into the ground as a result of the vehicles velocity and rotation and ultimately started to overturn. That's when the SUV struck a large tree and came to rest with the uprooted tree on top of the passenger compartment.
The officer called for back up while trying to help the victims, but all three died at the scene.
The occupants have been identified as driver, Brian Alexander Simmons, 44, of Accokeek, MD, passengers Diona Trechele Baber, 39, of Fort Washington, MD, and Willette Luann S. Marshall, 41, of Upper Marlboro, MD.
Police said the cause of the crash appears to be the failure to drive in a single lane and driving at excessive speeds which contributed to the severity of the injuries.
Preliminary, alcohol usage appears to be a factor with Toxicology results pending.
The crash is being investigated by the Traffic Safety Section.
