Man Dead, Another Injured After Falling Off Pickup Truck During Illegal Street Racing Event In Frederick County
UNION BRIDGE, Md. (WJZ) -- A 22-year-old man is dead and a 19-year-old man is injured after an illegal street race event led to the two of them falling off the back of a pickup truck late Friday night in Frederick County.
Officers were called to the area of Clemsonville Road and Fountain Rock Road in Union Bridge at around 10:15 p.m. Friday night for a report of a large group of people racing vehicles on the road.
While on their way there, they got a second call, this time for near the 10800 block fo Clemsonville Road, for two people injured after falling off of a moving vehicle.
A pickup truck had been driving south on Clemsonville Road with at least three people sitting in the back flatbed portion of the truck. The truck went off-road while spinning tires and then came back onto the road, and at that point two people fell off the back of the truck.
They were both taken to the University of Maryland R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore.
Police then learned the illegal "Pop-Up Street Race Event" was organized and spread through social media, and police say that although people at the scene appeared to be intoxicated, there was no indication that the driver was impaired during the incident.
The driver is identified as 19-year-old Noah Wetzel, and the two who fell off the truck are John Wittington, Jr., 19; and Michael Fritz, 22.
Fritz was taken off of life-support on Sunday and died of his injuries from the incident. Wittington Jr.'s condition is improving, officials said.
The Frederick County Sheriff's Office is asking anyone with information to include videos fo the incident, and to contact DFC Rector at 301-600-6490. Tips can also be left anonymously on our Tips line at 301-600-4131.