Fatal Route 24 Crash: Driver Killed Was Harford County Man, Police Say

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — A Harford County man was killed in a multi-vehicle crash on MD 24 Thursday afternoon, according to police. Lane closures were in effect for about five hours after the fatal crash.

Before 2:40 p.m., officials said multiple vehicles crashed in the area of Route 24/Emmorton Road at Route 7/Philadelphia Road, drawing troopers from the Maryland State Police Bel Air Barrack.

A tractor-trailer driver who was headed north on Route 24 had not stopped at a steady red turn signal, and instead went through the light and turned left onto Philadelphia Road, police reported.

The front of the tractor-trailer crashed into a 2013 Chrysler 300 that was headed south on Route 24, according to officials.

A 2017 Jeep Compass that had also been headed south swerved to avoid the crash, but its right fender was hit by the right rear quarter-panel of the Chrysler before the car went off the road and rested in nearby brush, police said.

The Chrysler driver — Raul Alejandro Smith, 36, of Edgewood — was taken by ambulance to the University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Medical Center, where he was pronounced deceased, according to officials.

The tractor-trailer driver and the Jeep driver declined medical treatment, police reported. Officials identified the tractor-trailer driver as Thomas Tompkins, 66, of York, Pa., and said that no charges had been filed as of Thursday night.

The Maryland State Police Crash Team is investigating and will submit its findings to the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office, which will determine whether charges may be filed.

All lanes were closed on Route 24 at southbound Route 7 during the investigation, according to the Maryland State Highway Administration.

By 7:45 p.m., state highway officials said that all lanes were open on Route 24 at Route 7.

"The cause of the crash remains under investigation," Maryland State Police said in a statement Thursday night.

Below is a picture from the Joppa-Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company, which responded to the crash, where it reported one person was taken from the wreck in critical condition (police later said the driver died at the hospital):

PREVIOUS REPORT: One person is in critical condition after a crash on MD 24 at Route 7/Philadelphia Road, according to officials. Route 24 was closed to southbound traffic as a result, authorities said.

Four vehicles crashed on Route 24 at Route 7, officials said before 3 p.m.

One person was being taken to an area hospital in critical condition, the Joppa-Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company reported before 4 p.m.

All lanes were closed on Route 24 at southbound Route 7, according to the Maryland State Highway Administration.