Two die in Maryland morning crashes

January 01, 2008

POINT OF ROCKS, Md. - Two people died Monday in two early-morning crashes that occurred within 10 minutes of each other, police said.

Alex Keepers, 31, of Frederick, Md., was killed in a two-vehicle collision near the U.S. 15 bridge near the Maryland/Virginia state line, Maryland State Police said.

Police said Keepers was traveling south in a Jeep Cherokee at approximately 4:30 a.m. when he lost control on the icy bridge and veered into the northbound lane where he was struck by a tractor-trailer.

Keepers was en route to Loudoun County, Va., where he is a lieutenant with the fire department.

U.S. 15 reopened by 11 a.m. Monday, police said.

A Baltimore man died after a separate crash at about 4:40 a.m. on westbound I-70 at Bill Moxley Road, police said.

Kedrick Mitchell, 30, died of injuries sustained in the crash after he was transported to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, state police said.

The accident occurred when a tractor-trailer jackknifed and struck two vehicles, overturning in the roadway and spilling its load of cooking oil. Mitchell, who was driving west in a box truck, struck the wreckage and was thrown from the vehicle, police said.

That accident remains under investigation. The roadway was closed for the investigation and a lengthy cleanup, police said.

Monday morning, most roads in Washington County were clear except for some slippery spots on hills and bridges, rescue officials said.

In Washington County on Sunday night, slippery road conditions contributed to a flurry of accidents along I-70 between 8 p.m. and midnight, rescue officials said.

The more serious occurred along westbound I-70 at the Conococheague Creek bridge around 9:45 p.m. where a 19-year-old woman was reportedly trapped under a pickup truck, rescue officials said.

Rescue officials said the unidentified woman had serious head injuries.

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