A “wild and dangerous police pursuit” that started in Frederick County, Maryland, came to a stop on Interstate 270 in Montgomery County.
WTOP Traffic Reporter Dave Dildine reports on the wrong way driver during the police pursuit
A “wild and dangerous police pursuit” that started in Frederick County, Maryland, came to a stop on Interstate 270 in Montgomery County.
It happened Friday during the afternoon rush. WTOP’s Traffic Center fielded several calls from panicked listeners who said they saw someone driving southbound on I-270 “lane-splitting the northbound lanes and going head-first into oncoming traffic,” WTOP Traffic reporter Dave Dildine said.
The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office said in a post on Facebook that its deputies were involved in the pursuit as it continued into Montgomery County. The driver of the vehicle, a man, was detained and the sheriff’s office said there is “no further threat to the community.”
The pursuit came to a stop when the driver crashed near the Comus Road overpass in Clarksburg, Dildine said.
WTOP’s news partner 7News reports that the man then jumped out of the car while holding a child, using them as a hostage.
All lanes of I-270 were shutdown for more than an hour during the standoff. Hundreds of drivers idled in place between Route 121 and Route 109 as police worked to bring the situation under control.
The Maryland State Highway Administration diverted northbound traffic at Father Hurley Boulevard while southbound drivers were sent onto Route 109 into Hyattstown. Long backups formed on nearby Route 355 and Route 27.
All lanes of I-270 reopened shortly before 7 p.m.
WTOP’s Abigail Constantino and Dave Dildine contributed to this report.
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Ciara Wells
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