Maryland State Police have identified Diane Karras, 77, of Silver Spring as the woman killed in a five-vehicle collision Wednesday morning on the outer loop of the Beltway in Bethesda, the department said Wednesday in a press release.
The crash involved four vehicles and a tow truck, according to police. Just before 11:30 a.m., state police responded to the collision, which occurred on the outer loop of I-495 west of Old Georgetown Road.
A preliminary investigation found the tow truck driver allegedly failed to control the vehicle’s speed and struck the rear of a Honda Civic driven by Karras, the release said.
After hitting the Honda Civic, the tow truck veered off the left shoulder of the highway. The tow truck then reentered the highway and struck a Ford Ranger pickup truck, which caused that vehicle to hit a Chevrolet Traverse SUV, which then struck a Dodge Grand Caravan, according to the release.
Karras was transported by ambulance to Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, where she was later pronounced dead, state police said.
In addition, the driver of the Ford Ranger was also transported to Suburban Hospital after the collision, according to the release. The release did not provide details about the injuries sustained by the driver.
The collision investigation is ongoing and charges are “pending,” the release said, noting state police will consult with the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office. The release did not identify the tow truck driver.
The collision led to road closures in the area that lasted around three hours, police said. Montgomery County police and the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration assisted with the closures.
