Man killed in crash with stolen car that had 7 kids inside

A stolen car with only seven kids inside crashed into another car in Montgomery County early Tuesday morning, killing a man, according to police.

Germantown crash

What we know:

The crash was reported at 5:30 a.m. at the intersection of Clopper Road and Great Seneca Highway in Germantown. 

Investigators said a white Kia Optima drove into the intersection and hit a blue Toyota Matrix. The crash sparked a fire and flipped the Kia onto the nearby grass.

The driver of the Toyota was pronounced dead at the scene. He was the only person in that car, police said. 

Teens driving stolen car

Dig deeper:

Police told FOX 5 that the Kia was occupied by seven children, all between the ages of 12 and 15. All seven were hospitalized, including two in critical condition, according to Montgomery County Police.

Witnesses reported two girls walking away from the Kia after the crash. Fire rescue teams had to cut out several others.

Hours after the crash, police said that the Kia had been reported stolen from a Montgomery County home. Witnesses reported to police that the Kia was driving erratically shortly before the crash.

Image 1 of 5

Fiery Germantown crash with overturned vehicles leaves multiple with life‑threatening injuries (Pete Piringer / @mcfrsPIO)

What they're saying:

People who live nearby tell FOX 5 that accidents at this intersection are common. One resident said that a light post had been knocked down several times in traffic accidents.

Dakota Jones said that she originally thought the crash might have been caused by someone driving too fast, which she says also happens often.

"I didn't think kids were in there driving erratically, and took a man's life because of it," Jones said. "That's a shame."

Crash under investigation

What we don't know:

It's not yet clear when the Kia was stolen. 

Officials have not yet identified the driver of the Toyota who was killed. The exact cause of the crash is still under investigation.

The Source: Information in this article comes from the Montgomery County (MD) Fire & Rescue Service and the Montgomery County Police Department.

NewsGermantownTrafficMarylandMontgomery County Crime