On Friday, January 13, 2023, at 11:20 am, the Chestertown Volunteer Fire Company, along with multiple other first due companies, including the Kent & Queen Annes Rescue Squad and Kent County EMS, was dispatched to the 800 block of High Street, near Lewes Dairy and the former Subway location, for the Serious Motor Vehicle Crash with Injuries. Information provided to first responders reported at least one patient unconscious. First arriving found a two-vehicle T-Bone type crash, with two patients, one of whom was trapped in their vehicle. The other vehicle had gone off the street and struck a nearby house, causing serious structural damage. There was also a negligible amount of fuel spilled from one vehicle, which had entered a storm drain.
With patient care already in progress when firefighters arrived, our immediate focus was extricating the patient that was pinned. Working diligently, extrication time for this patient was nine (9) minutes. As the fuel spill had entered a storm drain, which leads to Radcliffe Creek… a part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, MDE (Maryland Department of the Environment) was notified. As the amount of fuel was very small and, in-fact, unrecoverable, they directed mitigation by flushing the storm drain with water.
At the same time, attention was focused on the vehicle into the house. It was discovered the utility drop and electric meter was in the immediate area of impact. As a result, Delmarva Power was requested to the scene to assess damage to the electrical service. Due to the amount of damage to the house, the County Building Inspector was requested. This official determines safety of the structure. After inspection the building inspector directed the property owner to secure the structure against the elements, and directed no one can stay in the house until the electrical service has been repaired and restored.
Because of the serious nature and “mechanism”, i.e., the high crash forces involved, the amount of damage to the vehicles, and especially since one was reported unconscious and pinned, EMS decided both patients should be transported to a trauma center for evaluation. Maryland State Police Aviation was requested. Trooper 1 landed in the open field on Morgnec Road (Maryland 291) across from the Kent & Queen Annes Rescue Squad. This location is routinely used to land medevac helicopters for medical & trauma related incidents in / around Chestertown. Both patients were airlifted to the R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center - University of Maryland Hospital, in Baltimore, Maryland. At the time of this release, the condition of the patients is not known.
High Street, between the traffic circle and the High Street entrance to Kent Crossing Apartments, was closed as a result of this crash. To assist with the investigation, Chestertown Police Department requested a Crash Reconstruction Team from the Maryland State Police. This is the reason the street remained closed for an extended period.
Personnel from both the Maryland Department of Transportation – State Highway Administration and the Town of Chestertown took responsibility for the street closure.
For information about this crash, contact the Chestertown Police Department 410-778-1800.
