State Officials Investigating Deadly Harford County Crash Involving Deputy

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — The Maryland Attorney General's Independent Investigations Division is investigating a fatal crash that occurred after a Harford County sheriff's deputy attempted to stop a vehicle in Belcamp.

The crash happened around 3:25 p.m. Tuesday on Route 40 near Riverside Parkway, according to the Attorney General's Office.

Investigators said a Harford County Sheriff's Office deputy attempted to stop a car on Route 40 and activated emergency lights and sirens. The driver sped away before colliding with another vehicle at the intersection of Route 40 and Riverside Parkway.

The initial collision triggered a chain-reaction crash involving four other vehicles, authorities said. A total of five vehicles were involved, and each was occupied only by its driver.

The fleeing vehicle caught fire, investigators said, and the flames spread to one of the other vehicles involved in the crash. The fleeing driver was pronounced dead at the scene.

Two other drivers were taken to area hospitals with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. No deputies were injured.

The Independent Investigations Division is leading the investigation with assistance from the Maryland State Police Crash Team.

Authorities said the deputy involved was wearing a body camera, and the patrol vehicle was equipped with a dashboard camera. Both recorded the incident.

Neither the deputy nor the victim was identified.

Under agency protocol, the Independent Investigations Division generally releases the names of the decedent and involved officer within two business days. Body camera and dashboard camera footage is typically released within 20 business days, though that timeline can be extended under certain circumstances.

Anyone with information about the investigation is asked to contact the Independent Investigations Division at 410-576-7070 or IID@oag.maryland.gov.