8 Killed, 6 Hurt When Car Plows Into Street Racing Crowd Along Maryland Highway

ACCOKEEK, Md. (AP) — Police in Accokeek, Maryland, say eight people were killed when a car plowed into a crowd watching an illegal drag race early Saturday morning.

Authorities say the driver wasn’t part of the race, but accidentally drove into about 50. They the race was taking place on a divided highway and the crowd had spilled into the road’s northbound lanes as the two racing cars sped off.

One witness says the car did not have its lights on, but police say they cannot confirm that.

Seven people were pronounced dead at the scene at the eighth died later in a hospital. Police say a body found in the car that hit the crowd was one of the spectators and not a passenger as they had previously assumed.

Accokeek is about 20 miles south of Washington. The road, Route 210, is relatively smooth with long straightaways.