One Killed In Crash On Route 23: Police

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — Police said a Monkton man died in a crash in Harford County Thursday morning on Norrisville Road/MD 23. The road was closed for hours in the area of White Hall Road as authorities investigated the collision, which officials said involved three vans.

Mark Griffiths, 43, of Monkton, was taken by ambulance to York Memorial Hospital in Pennsylvania, where he was pronounced deceased, according to Maryland State Police.

Griffiths had been a passenger in a Dodge van that was stopped on northbound Route 23 waiting to make a left onto White Hall Road when it was hit by another van from behind and forced into the path of a third van around 5:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 25, police said.

The driver of the Dodge van — Michael Ciarpella, 64, of Jarrettsville — was flown by helicopter to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center, officials said.

The two other van drivers declined treatment, according to authorities, who reported there were no passengers in their vehicles.

James McDonald, 66, of Fallston, had been driving the Chevrolet Astro Van that hit Ciarpella's van from behind, police said.

Joseph Wheeler, 31, of Stewartstown, Pennsylvania, was driving the Ford van south on Route 23 when his vehicle collided with the Dodge van.

"At this time, no charges have been filed as troopers continue their investigation to determine the cause," Maryland State Police said in a statement Thursday afternoon.

The Harford County Sheriff’s Office, State Highway Administration and Jarrettsville Volunteer Fire Company joined Maryland State Police in the response to the crash.

Route 23 had reportedly reopened by 8:10 a.m.

INITIAL REPORT — A medevac was called after two people were injured in a serious crash on MD 23, according to authorities. The collision occurred at 5:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 25.

At least one person was trapped in the crash on Route 23 at White Hall Road, according to Rich Gardiner, spokesman for the Harford County Volunteer Fire and EMS Association.

The Jarrettsville Volunteer Fire Company handled the rescue, according to Gardiner, and a helicopter was called to fly two people for medical treatment.

Following the crash, Norrisville Road/Route 23 was closed between Old York Road/MD 439 and White Hall Road, Gardiner said.

The crash had cleared by 8:10 a.m., according to WBAL.