(Belair, MD Nov. 7, 2008 ) – Maryland State Police are on the scene of a multi-vehicle crash involving three vehicles traveling on the Route 1 bypass that claimed the lives of two people.
Two people have been pronounced dead at the scene. Names are not being released at this time because positive identifications and notifications to family members have not been made.

The injured are identified as Christopher Lentz, 37, of Glen Arm, Maryland, and Bryan Kearchner, 36, of Delta, Pennsylvania. There are two additional injured victims whose names are being withheld pending family notification.
At approximately 5:00 p.m. today, Maryland State Police from the Belair Barrack responded to the Route 1 bypass, north of Route 24, in Harford County for a reported serious motor vehicle crash. Upon arrival, troopers found three vehicles had been involved in the crash and two persons were deceased at the scene.

Although in the early stages of the investigation, preliminary information indicates the vehicle operated by Christopher Lentz, a Jeep Cherokee, was traveling on the southbound shoulder of the Route 1 bypass. For unknown reasons, Lentz crossed the center line and struck a Saturn mini-van head-on which was traveling northbound in lane two. The mini-van, carrying four passengers, spun out of control and subsequently struck a 2004 Ford van being operated by Bryan Kearchner. Kearchner was reportedly traveling behind the Saturn mini-van in the same direction..

There were two adults and two children in the Saturn mini-van. The driver was flown to Shock Trauma and one of the two children was flown to the Johns Hopkins Hospital. The other two passengers, an adult and another child, were pronounced dead at the scene.

Lentz, the driver of the Jeep Cherokee, was flown to Shock Trauma with injuries deemed serious at the time of the crash. Kearchner, the driver of the Ford van was transported by ambulance to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.

At this time, north and southbound lanes of the Route 1 bypass will be closed until approximately
11:30 p.m. while troopers from the Belair Barrack and the Maryland State Police Crash Team investigate the incident. State Highway Administration personnel are on the scene diverting traffic around the area.
Two Maryland State Police medevacs and The University of Maryland Shock Trauma Go-Team responded to the scene. The Harford County Sheriff’s Office and emergency personnel from Harford County, Belair and the Fallston Fire Departments also responded for assistance.
This investigation is continuing...