Carroll County's third traffic fatality in less than 48 hours and the fifth of the year occurred Wednesday in a three-car crash on Route 27 in Mount Airy.
James Philip Stiegler, 46, of Taylorsville died when his 1994 Honda Accord collided with a 1989 Chevrolet Caprice on Route 27 near the Mount Airy park-and-ride lot about 5 p.m. Wednesday.
State police said David R. Williams, 17, of the 1200 block of Oak View Drive, Mount Airy, lost control of the Caprice, crossed the center line and crashed into a 1993 Chrysler driven by Albert R. Trossevin, 58, of the 16500 block of Raven Rock Drive in Gaithersburg.
The collision knocked Mr. Trossevin's car off the highway, while Mr. Williams' Chevrolet continued sliding sideways in the northbound lane of Route 27 and crashed into Mr. Stiegler's car.
Officers said the victim and his wife, Elva, 46, were taken to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore in an ambulance from the Mount Airy station. The state police MedEvac helicopters were unable to fly because of sleet and freezing rain that began falling in the area about 4 p.m.
Mrs. Stiegler remained in critical condition at the trauma center yesterday.
Mr. Trossevin and two passengers, Terry Stephanie Campbell, 23, and Robert Vane Campbell 3rd, both of Gaithersburg, were taken to Frederick Memorial Hospital and released after treatment, according to police.
Mr. Williams was taken to Carroll County General Hospital and later transferred to Shock Trauma. His condition was serious yesterday afternoon. The cause of the accident is under investigation.
