Woman Dies in Head-On Crash After Driver Flees Police

GLEN BURNIE, MD – A Linthicum woman died in a car wreck Friday when her vehicle was hit by a driver fleeing a traffic stop, say Maryland State Police.

The victim is Louise Donner, 66, of the unit block of Patapsco Drive in Linthicum. She was the sole occupant of the vehicle and was driving a Kia Spectra at the time of the crash. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver accused of hitting Donner's vehicle is Johnathan Simms, 31, of the 2300 block of Eutaw Place in Baltimore. He remains in police custody at the Baltimore Washington Medical Center while receiving medical treatment.

Simms is facing multiple charges pending consultation with the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney.

Friday afternoon Trooper First Class Jacqueline Kline of the Glen Burnie Barrack was on patrol when she saw Simms driving a 2015 Toyota Camry. Authorities say Simms was traveling 17 miles per hour over the 55 mph speed limit, eastbound on Route 100 in Glen Burnie. Kline turned on her emergency lights and tried to stop Simms, but police say he failed to yield to the marked patrol vehicle.

Simms accelerated to high rates of speed, taking the ramp onto northbound 170 and continuing eastbound onto Dorsey Road where Kline ended the pursuit. Simms then turned left, traveling toward oncoming traffic in the southbound lanes of Aviation Boulevard, where he crashed head-on into the Donner's car, officials said. The crash occurred a quarter of a mile from the Glen Burnie Barrack on Aviation Boulevard.

Southbound lanes of Aviation Boulevard from Cromwell Park Drive to Dorsey Road were closed until 9 p.m. while the CRASH Team conducted the investigation.

Anyone who may have witnessed the crash or events leading up to the crash is asked to contact state police investigators at the Glen Burnie Barrack at 410-761-5130.