A man died and seven children ages 12 to 15 were hospitalized on Tuesday, Aug. 4, after a stolen Kia Optima driven by a juvenile too young to hold a license collided with a Toyota Matrix.
The crash happened at approximately 5:30 a.m. at the intersection of Clopper Road and Great Seneca Highway in Germantown, according to Bethesda Magazine. The man was the sole occupant of the Toyota and was pronounced dead at the scene. Montgomery County Police have not released his identity. The crash site is roughly 10 miles from Potomac, within Montgomery County.
All seven children were inside the white Kia Optima, which had been reported stolen from a home, WTOP reported. None of the juveniles were old enough to possess a driver's license, and no adult was present in the vehicle.
Montgomery County Police spokesperson Shiera Goff told 7News: "None of them were licensed at the age of 15. No one is of age to be driving a vehicle. This happened at 5 a.m. Know where your children are."
Massive emergency response
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson Pete Piringer said on social media that the crash involved an overturned vehicle on fire and occupants trapped inside both cars. Crews extinguished the flames and rescued two people from the wreckage.
MCFRS deployed dozens of first responders: five ambulances, five medic units, four fire engines, three extrication units, three EMS duty officers and several command and chief officers.
Three patients were classified as priority one, meaning critically injured with life-threatening conditions. Two were priority two with potentially life-threatening injuries, and two were priority three with non-emergent conditions. The juvenile driver was taken to the hospital in critical but stable condition, according to a county news release.
Witness reported erratic driving
A witness went to a police station before the crash and reported seeing the white vehicle driving erratically, according to WTOP. NBC Washington reported that some of the children were not wearing seat belts at the time of the collision.
The intersection of Clopper Road and Great Seneca Highway remained closed for approximately six hours, reopening around 11:30 a.m.
Investigation ongoing
As of Tuesday, Aug. 4, police investigators were still working to determine which juvenile was driving the stolen Kia at the time of impact. No charges have been announced.
Anyone with information about the crash can contact Montgomery County Police.





