Three people on an assisted living facility bus died after the bus crashed into a dump truck head-on in LaPlata, Maryland, early Friday, authorities say.
Two passengers and the driver of a “senior-living assisted facility transportation bus” were killed, Maryland State Police said in a statement.
Charlie Parker, of Mechanicsville, was the driver, police said. He was 84. The passengers were Cassandra Brown, 61, and Darlene Burrell, 64, both of Waldorf.
Chopper4 video shows the mangled wreckage of the white bus, with catastrophic damage to the front end on the driver’s side.
The crash involving a Sagepoint Senior Living Services bus occurred at Port Tobacco Road and Bowie Road, in a rural portion of the county, shortly before 8 a.m.
According to the initial investigation, the bus was headed west on Port Tobacco Road when “for unknown reasons,” the driver lost control and hit an eastbound dump truck head-on.
All three people were declared dead on the scene. The driver of the dump truck was not injured.
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
Investigators do not believe either driver was impaired, police said.
News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.
An investigation by the Maryland State Police Crash Team is underway. All lanes of Port Tobacco Road were shut down and later reopened.
Lt. Everett West of Maryland State Police called the crash a tragedy that was affecting first responders.
“I think I can easily speak for all the first responders; it’s a pretty somber mood here today,” he said.
Sagepoint did not immediately respond to an inquiry.
News4 video shows the horrifically mangled bus being towed away.
Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.
