A quiet Sunday afternoon on Interstate 68 ended in tragedy when a devastating head-on collision claimed three lives in Allegany County, Maryland.
Maryland State Police identified the victims as John Welin, 79, and Karen Berneck, 81, both of Roscoe, Illinois, and Thomas Stevao, 25, of Centreville, Virginia.
The crash happened around 12:59 p.m. on Sunday, August 30, near Maryland Route 36.
According to the preliminary investigation, Welin was driving a Subaru Forester westbound on I-68 when, for reasons that remain unknown, the vehicle crossed the grass median and entered the eastbound lanes.
The Subaru then collided head-on with a Volkswagen Tiguan.
Welin and Berneck, who were traveling in the Subaru, were pronounced dead at the scene. Stevao, a passenger in the Volkswagen, was also pronounced dead.
The Volkswagen driver, 25-year-old Patrick Kaczmarek of Clifton, Virginia, was flown to a local trauma center for treatment. Another passenger, 25-year-old Jacqueline Durham, also of Clifton, was transported to a hospital.
The Maryland State Police Crash Team is continuing to investigate what caused the Subaru to cross the median.
For the families and loved ones of Welin, Berneck and Stevao, the investigation cannot erase the devastating loss of three lives.
🕊️ May their families find strength and comfort during this heartbreaking time.
