North Beach Woman Critically Injured in Head-On Friendship Crash

FRIENDSHIP, MD — Two North Beach drivers crashed head-on in the Friendship area Saturday afternoon, critically injuring one driver and seriously injuring the other driver, authorities say. The accident happened about 4:15 p.m. on Dec. 24 on Friendship Road near Fairhaven Road in Friendship, according to Anne Arundel County Police.

Investigators say a 2012 Mazda driven by Chelsea Mae Estep, 23, of North Beach, was eastbound on Friendship Road when it crossed the centerline and into the path of a westbound 2004 Hummer H2 driven by Carl F. Raulin, 59, of North Beach. As a result, the two vehicles collided head-on.

Anne Arundel County firefighters extricated Estep in about 20 minutes and she was flown by helicopter to Shock Trauma in Baltimore with critical injuries. Police say Raulin was taken to Calvert Memorial Hospital with serious injuries.

The primary cause of the crash is Estep’s failure to remain right of center, police say, while contributing factors were the wet road and excessive speed by Estep. Alcohol use by either driver is not believed to be a factor. Any charges are pending review by the state’s attorney, police say.

»Photo courtesy of the North Beach Volunteer Fire Department