Police: Speed, Alcohol Contributed to Fatal Crash

Speeding and alcohol use by a driver appear to have caused a one-vehicle crash that killed a Shady Side man Thursday night, say police.

Anne Arundel County Police say the fatal accident happened about 6:30 p.m. on Shady Side Road near Cedarhurst Road in Shady Side.

The preliminary investigation shows a 2004 Ford Crown Victoria was northbound on Shady Side Road when it went off the roadway at a curve. The car struck a utility pole and several trees, police say.

The car’s driver -- Rupert Tawan Nick, 33, of Columbia Beach Road in Shady Side -- was declared dead at the scene by Anne Arundel County Fire Department personnel.

The primary cause of this crash is driver error, according to police. Alcohol use and excessive speed appear to have contributed to the accident, authorities say.