Laurel, MD – Tragedy struck last night in southern Maryland as a teenager from Baltimore’s Jewish community died in an I-95 collision that shut the busy roadway for hours.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
The four vehicle accident took place just after 9 PM on Monday night near exit 31B in Beltsville, approximately 35 miles southwest of Baltimore’s Jewish area. State police said that officers were already responding to a call regarding a disabled vehicle located in the roadway when a blue Dodge Caravan approaching the stopped car was rammed from behind by a tractor trailer.
Lieutenant Prendi Garcia of the Maryland State Police College Park barracks told VIN News that the stopped vehicle, a black Honda Pilot, was located in the second lane of the highway when the accident took place.
The driver of the Caravan, 45 year old Tamara Moskowitz of Baltimore, had just one passenger in her car, her 13 year old son and the pair were the most seriously injured in the collision.
Mrs. Moskowitz was transported to Medstar in Washington D.C. with life threatening injuries. Her son, identified by news site Baltimore Jewish Life as Moshe Moskowitz, was airlifted by Maryland State Police Aviation to Children’s Hospital where he later died.
Residents of Baltimore’s Jewish community were stunned by the news, just one day after the passing of a four month old baby.
“They are a sweet, sweet family, unbelievable people,” said one individual who knew the family and agreed to be interviewed only on the condition of anonymity.
Moshe Moskowitz is believed to have been the youngest rider in Chai Lifeline’s annual Bike 4 Chai fundraiser this year. He and his older brother Naftali raised a collective $12,375 for children with cancer from sponsors.
Mrs. Moskowitz and her husband, Rabbi Daniel Moskowitz, are both educators. Rabbi Moskowitz is a rebbe at Baltimore’s Talmudic Academy where Moshe was a student in the 8th grade. Parents at the yeshiva were instructed to tell their sons about the accident before coming to school this morning and grief counselors will be on hand to help students cope with the devastating news.
Misaskim is working closely with the medical examiner’s office to have the body released so that a funeral can take place today.
The driver of the Pilot, 58 year old Maria Chryssos of Corpus Christi, Texas, and her passenger, 35 year old Anastacia Chyross of Perry Hall, Maryland sustained non-life threatening injuries and were transported to Prince George’s Hospital Center. The 53 year old driver of a white Volkswagen that was struck as a result of the initial collision was uninjured. Police did not release any information on the driver of the tractor trailer.
All lanes of I95 were closed for two hours following the collision, with the northbound lanes shut down for an additional three hours as the Maryland State Police Crash Team and the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division conducted their investigation.
At this time it does not appear that drugs or alcohol played any part in the collision and police said they could not say if excessive speed was a factor in the fatal accident.
The public is asked to daven for Tamara Adina bas Kayna Shulamis who remains in critical condition.
Ad Mosai, Ad Mosai !!!