At Least 11 People Injured After Car Plunges into Crowd at Children’s Birthday Party and Driver Flees the Scene By Escher Walcott

At least one person is dead and over a dozen people were injured after a vehicle struck a group of attendees at a children’s birthday party in Maryland.

At around 10:14 p.m. local time on Saturday, Oct. 18, the police responded to reports of “a motor vehicle collision that resulted in numerous injuries” in a residential neighborhood in Bladensburg, the Bladensburg Police Department (BPD) said in a news release.

“A vehicle that traveled from the area of Annapolis Road struck several individuals who were gathered in front of a residence for a child’s birthday party,” said the BPD.

The driver of the vehicle allegedly “fled the scene on foot,” and police said he “has been identified as a 66-year-old male from Washington, D.C.”

“Consultation with the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney is underway and criminal charges are pending against the driver,” authorities added.

One of the victims succumbed to her injuries. She was identified by police as 31-year-old Ashley Hernandez Gutierrez of Washington, D.C.

The injured victims from the tragedy include eight children who range in age from 1 to 17, as well as five adults.

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“Six of the juvenile victims have been treated and released, and one has been admitted and is in stable condition. Three adult victims have been admitted to the hospital and are in stable condition, one is pending treatment, and one has been released,” police said.

In a post on X, the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department said that their units were dispatched to the scene “of [a] car into a tent.”

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The BPD was assisted at the scene of the incident by Prince George’s County Police, according to their news release.

Annapolis Road from 57th Avenue to Landover Road was promptly closed amid their investigation.

The cause of the collision remains unclear at this time.

As the BPD continues to lead the investigation into the incident, they are asking anyone with information about the incident to call the department’s Criminal Investigations Division at 301-864-6080.