Police say deadly accident, SUV collision into utility pole, may be related

COLESVILLE, Md. - Police are investigating to see if a deadly Montgomery County vehicle accident and a crash involving an SUV into a utility pole are related.

Officers responded to Randolph Road and Kimblewick Drive just before 7 a.m. in Colesville where one person was killed after a vehicle struck a tree. A 2009 Toyota Camry was traveling eastbound in the 200 block of Randolph Road just prior to Locksley Lane when, the vehicle left the roadway and struck the tree. The victim in this accident has been identified as Victoria Hitchins of Rockville, Maryland.

A short time later, police say a black SUV crashed into a utility pole nearby at the intersection of Randolph Road and New Hampshire Avenue. The black 2005 Mercury Mountaineer was traveling eastbound on Randolph Road and attempted to turn south onto New Hampshire Avenue, when for reasons still under investigation, the vehicle left the roadway and struck the utility pole. The driver and passengers were in their early twenties, according to police. The adult male driver was treated at the scene for non-life-threatening injuries.

Officers say one person was taken into custody, it is unclear at this time what charges will be filed. Authorities confirmed that drugs had been found in the vehicle but they would not disclose what kind. Officials told FOX 5 that one of the three passengers that ran from the car have been caught, the other two are still on the run.

Police canine units searched the area extensively during the investigation. Traffic along New Hampshire Avenue was delayed for much of the morning. Eastbound Randolph Road in the 200 block is now open, earlier it was closed due to the accident.

At this time, police have not said if the two incidents are related. The person killed in the earlier accident has not been identified at this time.

Anyone with information about either of these collisions is asked to call the Collision Reconstruction Unit at 240-773-6620.