Gaithersburg Man Dies in Dump Truck Crash as Motorcade Passes

GAITHERSBURG, MD — A Gaithersburg man was killed when a dump truck slammed into his SUV on Interstate 70 and the vehicle burst into flames. Maryland State Police on Friday said that Jacob Jackson, 46, of Gaithersburg, died in the Frederick County accident, that likely happened when Jackson's SUV and two dump trucks stopped to let a Congressional motorcade pass, but another truck driver didn't stop in time.

The four-vehicle pileup happened shortly after 9 a.m. Wednesday as the vehicles were traveling westbound on I-70 at the ramp from northbound I-270 in Frederick. Charges are pending in the crash, once the investigation concludes, authorities said.

Police believe Richard Aldar, 53, of Sykesville, driving a dump truck, stopped on westbound I-70 as a motorcade passed by. Senate Democrats were traveling from Washington to Shepherdstown, West Virginia, Wednesday morning for a retreat.

A second dump truck, driven by Mark Tew, 27, of Hanover, also stopped, as did Jackson, who was driving a 2011 Nissan Rogue. A third dump truck, driven by Shawn Gill, 46, of Gaithersburg, slammed into the rear of Jackson's Nissan, causing all four vehicles to crash into one another and an explosion occurred. Two of the dump trucks and the Nissan were engulfed in flames.

Jackson was the only occupant in his SUV; emergency medical service personnel pronounced him dead at the scene. Gill and Tew were taken by ambulance to Frederick Memorial Hospital, while Aldar refused medical treatment at the scene.