WICOMICO COUNTY, Md. — An 18-year-old Rockville man has died following a single-vehicle crash Wednesday evening in Wicomico County, according to Maryland State Police. The victim has been identified as Matthew Garcia, who investigators believe was driving the Honda Civic involved in the crash.
The crash happened around 8:41 p.m. on S. Division Street at Coulbourn Mill. Officers with the Fruitland Police Department responded to reports of a serious accident involving one vehicle. When emergency crews arrived, they discovered the Honda had left the roadway and ended up in Coulbourn Mill Pond.
Preliminary findings show that Garcia was traveling on S. Division Street when he failed to stop at a posted stop sign and entered the intersection. Investigators say he attempted to steer through the turn and continued westbound before striking the top of a guardrail. The car then went off the road and came to rest in the pond. Authorities believe speeding may have been a factor in the crash.
Garcia was flown by Maryland State Police Aviation Command to a trauma center for emergency treatment. Despite efforts to save him, he was later pronounced dead. His sudden passing has left family and friends mourning the loss of a young life taken too soon.
Two passengers were also inside the Honda at the time of the crash. They have been identified as Andy Fon Koh, 18, of Takoma Park, Maryland, and Eyuael Zewdie, 18, of Washington, D.C. Koh was flown to a shock trauma center for treatment of his injuries, while Zewdie was transported by ambulance to a local hospital. Authorities have not released updates on their current conditions.
At the request of the Fruitland Police Department, the Maryland State Police Crash Team is leading the active and ongoing investigation. Troopers from the Maryland State Police Salisbury Barrack assisted at the scene. Lanes in the area were closed for more than four hours as investigators worked to determine the exact cause of the crash. Officials continue to examine evidence as they seek answers in this tragic incident.
