A tragic crash at a busy intersection in St. Mary’s County on Sunday afternoon claimed the lives of two men and left others injured, according to local authorities. Investigators say reckless driving and excessive speed appear to have played a role in the devastating collision that unfolded in a matter of seconds.
Deputies with the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to the intersection of Three Notch Road and Hollywood Road at approximately 4:35 p.m. on March 15 after receiving reports of a serious motor vehicle crash. When deputies arrived, they found heavily damaged vehicles and several people injured as emergency responders worked quickly to assist those involved.
According to the preliminary investigation, a 2016 GMC Sierra driven by Austin Schultz of Leonardtown was attempting to make a left turn from northbound Three Notch Road onto Hollywood Road at a traffic signal. At the same time, a 2013 Toyota Camry driven by 42-year-old Keith Mersing II of Charlotte Hall was traveling southbound on Three Notch Road. Authorities said the Camry reportedly ran a red light while using the shoulder to bypass vehicles that were stopped at the intersection.
The Camry struck the GMC pickup during the turn, causing a violent collision. Mersing and his front-seat passenger, 35-year-old Troy Coley of New Carrollton, were rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment. Sadly, officials confirmed that both men later died from the injuries they suffered in the crash.
The driver of the GMC Sierra and a juvenile passenger were also transported to a local hospital. Authorities said both were treated for injuries described as minor. Investigators believe excessive speed and reckless driving were likely major contributing factors in the crash, though the investigation remains ongoing.
St. Mary’s County Sheriff Steve Hall expressed his condolences while stressing the dangers of careless driving. The case is now being handled by the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Collision Reconstruction Unit. Anyone with information about what happened is asked to contact Sergeant Shawn Shelko at 301-475-4200, extension 8147, or by email at shawn.shelko@stmaryscountymd.gov as investigators continue working to understand the events that led to the fatal crash.
