Four people died when an SUV that police said was stolen crashed into a tree and caught fire Friday evening in Prince George’s County.
The names of the dead were not immediately released, nor were their ages.
Authorities said the crash happened shortly after police tried to pull over the vehicle, a Kia Sorrento, for having expired temporary tags. The driver would not stop and led authorities on a pursuit, but police lost them and ended the chase, according to the Prince George's County Police Department.
Just four minutes later, a witness said the Kia passed them on the shoulder and crashed, police said.
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No one in the SUV survived the crash in the 12700 block of Woodmore Road in Bowie at about 7:30 p.m.
“For reasons that are under investigation, it left the roadway and struck a tree,” Prince George’s County police Cpl. Unique Jones said Friday. “All four occupants in the vehicle were pronounced deceased on scene.”
An investigation later revealed the Kia was stolen in an armed carjacking in Greenbelt, according to authorities.
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Woodmore Road was closed between Pleasant Prospect Road and Waterford Mill Road as police investigated.
“Over the next couple of hours, investigators will, you, know, they look at mark on the roadway, things like that, to try to determine what happened to lead to this crash,” Jones said.
Anyone with potentially relevant information is asked to contact police.
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