Police Investigate Fatal Vehicle Collision in Bethesda

[Howard Hartman]

	DEPARTMENT OF POLICE MEDIA SERVICES DIVISION 2350 RESEARCH BOULEVARD ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND 20850-3294   240-773-5030
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 24, 2008	FOR MORE INFORMATION:                         Media Services Division, 240-773-5030

Police Investigate Fatal Vehicle Collision in Bethesda

Detectives from the Montgomery County Police Collision Reconstruction Unit are investigating a serious personal injury collision that occurred yesterday in Bethesda. A 72-year-old woman from Bethesda died from injuries she sustained.

At approximately 2:25 p.m. on Sunday, March 23, 2nd District officers and Fire Rescue personnel responded to the report of a serious personal injury collision on Connecticut Avenue at Beach Drive in Bethesda.

The preliminary investigation revealed that the driver of a red 2002 Subaru was traveling southbound on Connecticut Avenue just north of Beach Drive when it collided with a 2003 Honda Accord. Following the collision with the Honda, the Subaru went out of control, and crossed three southbound lanes before crossing Beach Drive and colliding with a utility pole and a tree.

The driver of the Subaru, identified as Mary Ann Wilding, age 72, of the 6300 block of Tone Drive in Bethesda, was transported to Suburban Hospital where she was pronounced deceased. The driver of the Honda, identified as Judith Robinson Newman, age 66, of the 5000 block of Dorset Avenue in Chevy Chase, was not injured.

Anyone who may have witnessed the Subaru being driven prior to the collision is asked to call the Collision Reconstruction Unit at 301-840-2435. The investigation is continuing.

Connecticut Avenue & Beach Drive in Bethesda[map]Connecticut Avenue & Beach Drive, Kensington, MD[/map]