MARYLAND STATE TROOPER KILLED IN CRASH IS IDENTIFIED

(LAUREL, MD) – Maryland State Police Superintendent Colonel Terrence B. Sheridan has identified the state trooper killed in the line of duty early this morning in a traffic crash on Interstate 95 in Howard County.

The trooper is identified as Trooper First Class Shaft S. Hunter, 39, an 11-year veteran of the Maryland State Police. TFC Hunter was assigned to road patrol duties at the Waterloo Barrack. He was on-duty, working a night patrol shift on I-95, when the crash occurred.

“TFC Hunter was an outstanding trooper who was known for his dedication to duty,” Colonel Sheridan said. “He died while working to keep our highways safe. He will be greatly missed by his family and his fellow troopers at the Waterloo Barrack and throughout the Maryland State Police. He is the 43rd state trooper to make the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of the people of Maryland. His death comes at the end of National Police Week, when we honor the more than 19,000 police officers nationwide who have given their lives in the line of duty. TFC Hunter has now joined the ranks of these American heroes.”

The crash occurred about 2:40 a.m. today on southbound I-95 at the Laurel rest area, south of Rt. 32. TFC Hunter was pronounced dead at the scene.

The investigation into the crash is ongoing. The preliminary investigation indicates TFC Hunter was southbound on I-95 when he struck a tractor trailer that was parked on the shoulder of the interstate, just before the entrance ramp to the rest area. He was wearing his seat belt when the crash occurred.

A witness told investigators he was passed by a motorcycle that was traveling at a high rate of speed just before being passed by a marked State Police car. Moments later, the witness said the patrol car struck the rear of the tractor trailer.

Based on witness information, TFC Hunter was possibly in pursuit of this speeding motorcycle. He had not radioed in to the barrack about this before the crash occurred, but that is not unusual when a trooper is in the initial moments of an attempted traffic stop.
The patrol car struck the rear of the tractor trailer and then traveled down the side of the trailer, coming to rest near the front of the trailer. The tractor trailer driver was not injured in the crash.

The tractor trailer driver is identified as Albert Sandino, 46, of Covina, California. He was driving a 2009 International truck tractor pulling a box trailer loaded with household bleach. The truck was headed from Aberdeen, Maryland to Virginia. The driver told investigators he had pulled to the side of the interstate briefly to check for directions to his destination.

The crash scene required the closure of southbound I-95 until about 8:30 a.m. today. State Highway Administration personnel responded and set up detours around the area.

TFC Hunter was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He held a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from St. Augustine College in Raleigh, North Carolina.

After college, he joined the United States Marine Corps, where he served from 1994 to 2000. He was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps with the rank of captain.

The Maryland State Police recruited TFC Hunter out of the Marine Corps. He entered the State Police Academy on January 3rd, 2000. He was elected president of the 114th Trooper Candidate Class. He gave an address at his academy class graduation in June of 2000.

TFC Hunter’s first assignment was at the Waterloo Barrack. He later worked at the Glen Burnie and Westminster barracks, before returning to the Waterloo Barrack in October of 2010.

TFC Hunter leaves behind six children, ages 4-19. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time.