Motorcylist Killed When Waldorf Man Failed to Yield

CHARLOTTE HALL ---  A Mechanicsville man was killed about 10:30 on Thursday night when a 2002 Mitsubishi Sport Utility Vehicle driven by Gordon Scott Tolson, 38, of Waldorf made a u-turn from southbound Maryland Route 5 onto northbound Maryland Route 5 just south of Golden Beach Road in Charlotte Hall in front of McDonalds and Burger King.

In making the u-turn, Tolson failed to yield the right-of-way to a 1994 Suzuki motorcycle which was already northbound in the right lane of Maryland Route 5, being operated by Mark Quentin Kearns, 22, of
Mechanicsville.

The motorcycle struck the passenger side of the truck, sending the motorcycle and driver sprawling across the highway and leaving the truck with the entire side demolished due to the impact.

Kearns, the driver of the motorcycle, died at the scene from injuries sustained in the collision. There were no other reported injuries. The investigation is continuing according to St. Mary's Sheriff's Cpl. John Payne.

The Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department arrived on the scene to render assistance with the crash, providing lighting for deputies who reconstructed the crash scene.  

Drivers who fail to pay attention to motorcycles have been deadly in recent years with Thursday night's scene just a couple miles from the location in front of the Mechanicsville Post Office where another motorcyclist was killed by a driver failing to yield.
See this week's print edition for photos of the scene.