Man Smashes Into 3 State Police Cruisers During Traffic Stop

ROCKVILLE, MD — Four Maryland state troopers escaped injury Wednesday after a car smashed into their police cruisers during a traffic stop on Interstate 270.

Police said the incident happened shortly before 6:15 a.m., when four troopers from the Rockville Barrack stopped a suspected impaired driver. As they were conducting the traffic stop, a car traveling north on I-270 slammed into three police cruisers. The troopers, who had already activated their emergency lights, were not in their patrol vehicles at the time of the crash. None of them were injured, police said.

Police identified the driver who hit the patrol vehicles as Albert Danene Bishop, 80, of North Bethesda. Bishop was cited for failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, negligent driving, and failure to obey a traffic control device. He was also taken to Suburban Hospital in Bethesda as a precaution.

Authorities do not believe that drugs and alcohol were factors in the crash.

The suspected impaired driver — 27-year-old Jonathan Lee Hostetter of Sunderland — was arrested and taken to the Rockville Barrack for processing.

Following the incident, police are urging motorists to adhere to Maryland's "Move Over" laws. These laws were put in place to protect first responders working along Maryland roads. They require motorists who approach emergency vehicles that use flashing lights to safely change lanes, so they are not directly adjacent to them. If drivers cannot make a lane change, police said they must "slow to a reasonable and prudent speed that is safe for existing weather, road, and vehicular or pedestrian traffic conditions."

Citing Maryland Vehicle Law, police said emergency vehicles are defined as:

• Vehicles of federal, state, or local law enforcement agencies;
• Vehicles of volunteer fire companies, rescue squads, fire departments, the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems, and the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute;
• State vehicles used in response to oil or hazardous materials spills;
• State vehicles designated for emergency use by the Commissioner of Correction;
• Ambulances;
• Transportation, service and utility vehicles, as well as waste and recycling trucks, with yellow or amber flashing lights or signal devices.
• Special vehicles funded or provided by federal, state, or local government and used for emergency or rescue purposes in Maryland.

Violators are subject to a fine of $110 and one point assessed on the their driver's license. In the event of a crash, drivers will receive a $150 fine and get three points on their license. If the violation contributes to a crash that causes serious injury or death, motorists will get a $750 fine and three points on their license.