Baltimore County Chase Ends in Bay Bridge Crash: Police

A Delaware man has been charged with 42 traffic violations after authorities say he led police on a chase from Baltimore to Anne Arundel counties and only stopped when he crashed into a tractor-trailer on the Bay Bridge.

Jonathan T. McFarland, 24, of Laurel, Del., was taken to the Baltimore Washington Medical Center for an evaluation following Wednesday night's crash and remained at the hospital Thursday afternoon, police said.

Both the tractor-trailer driver and McFarland were uninjured from the crash, according to Maryland State Police.

McFarland hit at least one other vehicle—while driving on I-695—during the chase, and police said that driver was also unharmed.

Authorities were on the lookout for McFarland's Lincoln MKZ at 8:40 p.m. Wednesday after the Baltimore County Police Department alerted law enforcement that he fled a traffic stop in the eastern part of Baltimore County.

Troopers spotted the Lincoln MKZ with Delaware registration on the I-695 outer loop in the area of Belair Road and they attempted to stop it, to no avail; they pursued the vehicle until Reisterstown Road; and then they continued to drive in the direction the car was going, police said.

After traveling around I-695, the vehicle was spotted on I-97 south by troopers from the Glen Burnie barrack, who tried to make a traffic stop for erratic driving, with lights and sirens on, officials reported; the driver did not stop.

When officials followed the vehicle onto the Bay Bridge, they said the car collided with a tractor-trailer.

Once the vehicle came to rest, troopers said they arrested McFarland.

Police said it was unclear why he refused to stop, as he was driving his mother's Lincoln MKZ, which was not reported stolen, and he was not wanted for anything.

Among the 42 traffic violations, McFarland was reportedly charged with fleeing and eluding, reckless driving, negligent driving, failure to stop at the scene of a property damage accident, exceeding the speed limit, driving off the roadway while passing a vehicle, and other related offenses.