Ice on Sykesville-area bridges caused several accidents in Carroll County Wednesday morning, one of which sent a Reisterstown man to Maryland Shock Trauma Center.
Gerald Stephen Rollinger, 45, was driving west on Route 26 about 6:15 a.m. when he started to pass a vehicle on the Liberty Reservoir bridge, state Trooper James A. Updegraff said in his report.
Mr. Rollinger, who state police said was driving too fast, lost control of his car and slid sideways in to the eastbound lane.
Brent Allen Borgaard, 24 of Sykesville, eastbound on Route 26 in a 1988 Kenworth dump truck, attempted to avoid Mr. Rollinger's 1983 Ford LTD but slid into the left side of the car.
Mr. Rollinger was in critical but stable condition at Shock Trauma yesterday afternoon.
Police have not issued any citations in the incident.
About the same time, Ann Panteloukas, 50, of Gamber was driving south on Route 32 when she lost control of her 1990 Volvo on the Morgan Run bridge, Tfc. Ira M. Click Jr. reported.
The car spun and struck both sides of the bridge before coming to rest in the southbound lane.
Ms. Panteloukas got out of her car and attempted to flag down someone for help, police said.
Ronald Lionel Blanchette, 52, of Gamber, also southbound on Route 32, saw the accident and tried to stop his 1988 Pontiac Firebird, but the car went into a slide, struck Ms. Panteloukas' car on the passenger side and knocked the vehicle into the woman, throwing her several feet, police said.
A third driver, William Dennis Leppert, 47, of Finksburg couldn't stop his 1990 Ford pickup truck on the ice and struck the other two vehicles.
Ms. Panteloukas was treated Wednesday at Carroll County General Hospital and released.
The other two drivers were not injured, police said.
Trooper Click said there were about 15 accidents on bridges in the area.
The trooper said the ice developed from early morning fog which rose off the water, settled on the bridges and froze.
