On November 26, 2018, at
approximately 7:40 p.m. deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office
responded to a report of a motor vehicle collision, in the 24200 block of Point
Lookout Road in the area of Hanover Drive in Leonardtown. Upon arrival deputies
discovered a vehicle on fire with an occupant trapped inside. The fire was extinguished by fire department
personnel, and the trapped occupant was found to be deceased. The deceased sustained minor burns as a
result of the vehicle fire, however non-survivable injuries were sustained in
the collision. The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Collision Reconstruction
Unit responded and continued the investigation.
Preliminary investigation
determined a 2013 Ford Fusion operated by Michael Anthony Cook, age 45 of
Callaway, was traveling southbound on Point Lookout Road, when for unknown
reasons the vehicle left the roadway and struck the guardrail on the southbound
shoulder of the roadway. The vehicle was
then propelled across all lanes of travel, and struck a 2007 Honda Odyssey
operated by Stoianka Lubomrova Encarnacion, age 47 of Great Mills, which had
maneuvered to the northbound shoulder in attempt to avoid the other vehicle.
After the collision both vehicles caught fire, with Encarnacion still trapped
in her vehicle. After the fire was extinguished,
Encarnacion was found to have succumbed to injuries sustained as a result of
the collision. A juvenile passenger in
Encarnacion’s vehicle was flown to Children’s Hospital with incapacitating
injuries. Cook was also transported to a trauma center with incapacitating
injuries. At this time alcohol does not appear to have been a factor in the
collision.
Anyone who witnessed the
collision or the events leading up to the collision, is asked to contact Corporal
Brian Connelly at (301) 475-4200 extension *8031 or by email at Brian.Connelly@stmarysmd.com. Citizens may remain anonymous and contact Crime
Solvers at (301) 475-3333, or text a tip to “TIP239” plus their message to
“CRIMES” (274637). Through the Crime Solvers Program tipsters are eligible for
an award of up to $1,000 for information about a crime in St. Mary’s County
that leads to an arrest or indictment.
For official news and
information, follow the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office on Twitter
@firstsheriff.
