HIT AND RUN DRIVER WHO STRUCK INTERSTATE SIGN IDENTIFIED AND CHARGED BY STATE POLICE

(Woodlawn, MD) – The persistence of a Maryland State Police criminal investigator led to the identification of a truck driver who hit an overhead sign on I-70 last weekend and fled the scene after causing $100,000 in damage.

The driver is identified as Alvin J. Hall 3rd, 49, of Glen Burnie, Md. He is charged on traffic citations with failing to stop after a property damage collision, failing to locate and notify the owner of damaged property after a collision, and failing to provide written identification on unattended property after a property damage collision. All three charges are ‘must appear’ offenses and require the person charged to appear before a judge who will set the fine if the person is found guilty. Each charge also carries a penalty of eight points.

Just before 9:00 a.m. on August 15, 2009, Maryland State Police at the Golden Ring Barracks received dozens of phone calls from motorists saying a truck struck an overhead highway sign on eastbound I-70, just prior to I-695. The collision had structurally weakened the sign and it was hanging precariously over vehicles on the interstate.

Responding troopers and officials from the State Highway Administration determined the hanging structure was a hazard to motorists and closed the eastbound lanes of the interstate for about four hours. The entire structure had to be removed with a large crane that was called to the scene. The costs associated with the crane removal and replacing the sign are estimated by the State Highway Administration at $100,000.

Although dozens of calls were received at the barracks, callers provided little information about the truck that was responsible for the damage to the sign. Troopers were told a possible name on the truck contained the letters C-M-L.

A criminal investigator from the Golden Ring Barracks began checking scale houses, local hauling companies, landfills, and quarries, looking for information about dump trucks working in the region last Saturday. On Wednesday, the investigator learned from a Timonium quarry that several dump trucks from CM Laios loaded at the quarry Saturday morning.

State Police investigators contacted the company, which has locations in Hanover and Mitchellville, Md. It was learned that one of the trucks had struck ‘something’ last Saturday, but had already been repaired. Troopers went to the repair company and found the front piece of the dump truck bed that had come from the truck involved.

The individual driving the truck last Saturday was identified as Hall. He was charged on traffic citations at his home today by State Police investigators.

The investigation indicates the dump bed of the truck was raised as it approached the sign. The dump truck load cover rack and ultimately the front of the dump bed struck the sign, causing damage to the truck and significant damage to the sign.