A crash on Cherry Hill Road in Silver Spring killed 46-year-old Terrance Blackwell Saturday night. Also injured in his car were his son, a daughter and his girlfriend.
Blackwell was a bartender at Colonel Brooks’ Tavern in northeast Washington for years. In a case that grabbed local headlines, three of Blackwell's co-workers were shot and killed at the bar seven years ago.
On Saturday, Blackwell's Chevy Tahoe was hit by another van. Blackwell’s family questions if police were pursuing the vehicle that hit and killed him.
“My question is, why was there a pursuit, in such a residential area? Why did this occur?” said Blackwell’s ex-wife Stephanie Blackwell.
Paul Starks of the Montgomery County Police responded, “We’re not saying that a pursuit occurred. What we’re saying is that this officer activated his lights and siren to get this vehicle to stop.”
It all started at the IHOP Restaurant on Tech Road in Silver Spring. A man got into a dispute with his girlfriend. He took her van and their eleven-month-old child and drove off. The woman called police.
Police located the van eastbound on Cherry Hill Road and attempted to pull the vehicle over. Instead of stopping, the driver crossed the double yellow line into oncoming traffic. That’s when the collision happened. The van hit the Chevy Tahoe, killing Terrance Blackwell.
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
Stephanie Blackwell said, “I have quite a few questions. But I’m going to let the Montgomery County Police do their job and we’ll work to see the outcome of this case.”
