Fatal Crash on GW Parkway Breaks Car in Half

A 22-year-old woman died at the scene

A striker with the U.S. soccer team was seriously injured a fatal crash on the George Washington Memorial Parkway Tuesday morning.

Charlie Davies was in the area with the team for a World Cup qualifier, ESPN.com reported. He was in stable condition following surgery Tuesday afternoon.

Davies suffered a lacerated bladder and fractures to the tibia and femur bones in his right leg. He also suffered facial fractures and a left elbow fracture.  Though his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening, they could possibly be career-threatening, a U.S. Soccer Federation spokesman told The Washington Post.

U.S. Park Police are investigating the crash on the southbound lanes of the George Washington Parkway at Boundary Channel Drive, just south of the Memorial Bridge, that broke an SUV in half.

The accident happened at approximately 3:15 a.m. Police spokesman Sgt. David Schlosser told News4 that it looks like the SUV struck the metal railing of the bridge that carries the parkway over Boundary Channel Drive.

Ashley J. Roberta, 22, of Phoenix, Md., died at the scene, said Schlosser, who added that he did not have further information on the  two survivors in the crash, who were taken to the Washington Hospital Center MedStar Unit in serious condition.

The 23-year-old Davies is a starter for the national team and plays for the French club Sochaux. He played for Boston College before signing with Swedish team Hammarby in 2007.

The U.S. team is scheduled to play Costa Rica Wednesday night at RFK Stadium. The team clinched its World Cup berth Saturday night with a 3-2 win over Honduras in which Davies had an assist.

Davies reportedly was not driving.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation.

Southbound traffic on the parkway was backed up for more than an hour as drivers were diverted off of the Parkway at Memorial Bridge due to the accident. Both lanes reopened at approximately 8:15 a.m.

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