PEDESTRIAN STRUCK ON INTERSTATE 68

(Grantsville, MD) – Maryland State Police continue to investigate a crash involving a pedestrian who was struck in the roadway late last night by a trooper travelling on Interstate 68 in Garrett County. 

The pedestrian is identified as Lamont Scaife, 39, of the unit block of West Church Street in Orlando, Florida. Scaife was transported to Western Maryland Health System Hospital in Cumberland where he was later pronounced deceased.

The trooper is identified as Trooper First Class Scott Bell, assigned to the McHenry Barrack. TFC Bell is a 3 ½ year veteran of the Maryland State Police. He was uninjured in the crash.

The preliminary investigation indicates Scaife, identified as the driver of a disabled tractor trailer, was outside of his vehicle, on eastbound Interstate 68, attempting to unhook the trailer. Scaife had parked the tractor trailer at the crest of a hill at the Chestnut Ridge Road overpass on the slow shoulder in a very dimly lit stretch of highway where the posted speed limit is 65 miles per hour.

The passenger in the tractor trailer, who witnessed the incident, told police Scaife had walked back to the truck after attempting to unhook the trailer. He opened the driver’s side door when a piece of paper blew out on to the travel portion of the highway. He then chased the paper, running onto Interstate 68, through the merge lane, into lane number two, and consequently into the path of the oncoming patrol car.

Shortly after 11:00 p.m. last night, TFC Bell was traveling eastbound on I-68 in lane number one when he swerved to avoid what he recalled as a flash in front of his patrol car. Immediately following the crash, TFC Bell called for help and began CPR on Scaife, until emergency service providers arrived on the scene.

Due to the snowy weather, Scaife was transported by ambulance to Western Maryland Health System. He later succumbed to his injuries.

The Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, the Grantsville Volunteer Fire Department, Northern Garrett Rescue Squad, personnel from the State Highway Administration and troopers from the McHenry Barrack responded to assist at the scene. The Maryland State Police CRASH team is conducting a complete reconstruction of the incident as this investigation continues.