MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — A tragic head-on collision claimed the lives of two people early Saturday morning, July 5, after a wrong-way driver crashed on Interstate 270. According to the Montgomery County Police Department, the crash occurred just before 3 a.m. and involved two vehicles traveling in opposite directions.
Authorities say 25-year-old Ashley Salazar of Clarksburg was driving a Chevrolet Cruze southbound in the northbound lanes of I-270 for reasons still under investigation. Her vehicle collided head-on with a Honda Accord driven by 33-year-old Jeremy De La Torre of Frederick. Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders.
There were no other passengers in either vehicle. Police confirmed that the collision involved only the Chevrolet Cruze and Honda Accord. Investigators are still trying to determine how Salazar entered the northbound lanes and whether factors such as alcohol, fatigue, or distraction may have contributed to the crash.
As a result of the accident, all northbound lanes of I-270 were closed for several hours. The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration assisted with traffic management and detour efforts. The road was fully reopened later that morning once accident reconstruction teams had completed their work at the scene.
The loss of Ashley Salazar and Jeremy De La Torre has sent shockwaves through their communities in Clarksburg and Frederick. Friends and family have taken to social media to share their grief and honor the lives of the two victims, describing them as kind-hearted and hardworking individuals who were taken far too soon.
The Montgomery County Police Department’s Collision Reconstruction Unit is continuing its investigation. Detectives are reviewing surveillance footage from nearby traffic cameras and conducting toxicology tests to determine if impairment played a role in the crash. They are also seeking witnesses who may have seen the Chevrolet Cruze driving the wrong way on the highway.
Wrong-way crashes are rare but often deadly, especially on high-speed roads like I-270. Authorities are urging drivers to remain alert at all times, particularly during late-night and early-morning hours when visibility is reduced and the risk of impaired driving increases. Anyone with information is asked to contact Montgomery County Police as the investigation into this heartbreaking incident continues.