A woman was pronounced dead on the scene of a multi-vehicle crash that closed Ritchie Highway for several hours in Pasadena Thursday.
Janet Ellen Stomps, 44, was stopped at a red light behind several vehicles at the intersection of Ritchie Highway and Jumpers Hole Road when her Honda Accord was struck from behind by a trash truck, according to witnesses.
The force of the impact drove the Accord forward as the truck plowed into five other vehicles. According to police, there is no evidence that the truck driver was braking or making any evasive maneuvers at the time of the crash.
See also: Ritchie Highway re-opened after fatal multi-vehicle crash
The driver of the trash truck was taken by ground ambulance to Shock Trauma in Baltimore on a precautionary basis.
Occupants of two of the other vehicles were transported to Baltimore Washington Medical Center with minor injuries. The remaining people involved refused medical treatment.
Investigators said the preliminary cause of the crash was the trash truck driver failing to reduce speed to avoid a collision and driving at a greater than reasonable speed.
