On Friday, Dec. 9, 2022, at 12:29 pm, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Deputies were dispatched to a motor vehicle collision involving a SUV and a tow truck with serious, life-threatening bodily injury at the area of Budds Creek Road and Mechanicsville Road in Chaptico. The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Collision Reconstruction Unit responded to the scene to continue the investigation.
Preliminary investigation determined that a 2016 Toyota Highlander, operated by Agnes Marie Douglass, age 66 of La Plata, was traveling south on Mechanicsville Road when she failed to stop at a stop sign and struck a tow truck, operated by Shawn Patrick Koetter, age 49 of Fredericksburg, VA, which was traveling east on Budds Creek Road.
Agnes Douglass and front passenger of the Toyota, John Christopher Dewy Douglass, age 35 of La Plata, were transported to an area medical center by ambulance. The rear passenger of the Toyota, Shirley Marie Douglass, age 44 of La Plata, and Koetter, the operator of the tow truck, were flown to a regional medical center by helicopter.
At this time, speed may have been a factor in the collision.
Anyone who may have witnessed the collision or any events leading up to it and has not already provided a statement is asked to call Cpl. Rachael Roszell at 301-475-4200, ext. 78108 or email rachael.roszell@stmaryscountymdgov.
