Workers at the Gambrills Service Center could only look on helplessly as a car ignited in flames after a car southbound on Crain Highway struck a Toyota Corolla, which had been eastbound on Route 175.
"I heard a bang. I didn't think anything of it,” said Mike Clark, “We hear a lot of bangs on Route 3, but then I started smelling something burning. So I looked outside and saw a car on fire."
It wasn't until later Thursday evening after Clark had watched the NFL draft that he looked on line and learned the person who had died in the back of the car operated for an Uber ride was a regular customer and good friend, 28-year-old Raymond Quartuci who had been planning to get married in Cctober.
"He was getting ready to get married. Great guy,” said Clark, “Just moved by a golf course down in Crofton. Fixing up the house. Just always a pleasure to come in. Him and his dad would come here and just talk and we'd talk sports. We'd talk cars. Whatever. We'd talk about family."
Despite his own serious injuries, the Uber driver was able to get out of the car and paramedics transported him to Shock Trauma.
An initial investigation determined the driver of the other car, 44-year-old Heather Boyer, had failed to remain in a single lane and made an unsafe lane change causing the crash.
A crash, which robbed a young Uber customer of his life leaving a friend who witnessed the aftermath with a helpless feeling that he couldn't somehow save his life.
"I just wish I could go back in time and do something,” said Clark, “There was just nothing we could do."
The driver found at fault in the crash and her 63-year-old passenger only suffered minor injuries.
It will be up to the State's Attorney's Office to determine what, if any, charges she'll face once an investigation is completed.
