Two dead, three taken to hospitals following multi-vehicle crash Friday on I-81

Two New York state residents died Friday and three other people were transported to area hospitals following a six-vehicle crash on Interstate 81 near Showalter Road, according to Maryland State Police.

The crash by the 10 mile marker on southbound I-81, near the Hagerstown Regional Airport, was reported at 9:34 a.m. Friday, according to emergency service officials.

Southbound I-81 remained closed in that area around 4 p.m. Friday as state police continued to investigate the crash.

A Pennsylvania Department of Transportation webcam showed trucks blocking southbound I-81 at Exit 3 for U.S. 11, with long lines of traffic slowly exiting the interstate.

Live blog from Friday's fatal crash: Two killed in Interstate 81 crash Friday near Hagerstown airport, police say: Live update

The deceased were identified as Wesley Merrick, 55, and Alicia Eve Cornell, 46, both of Wellsville, N.Y., according to a state police news release and spokesperson Elena Russo.

Wellsville is 44 miles west of Corning, N.Y., and just north of the Pennsylvania state line.

Merrick was driving a Chevrolet Tahoe that, according to the preliminary investigation, hit the rear of a tractor-trailer that had begun to brake due to traffic. That caused a chain reaction, with three additional tractor-trailers and a pickup truck colliding with one another.

Cornell was the rear left passenger in the Tahoe.

Two other passengers in the Tahoe were taken to area hospitals.

Merrick's wife, Carrie Merrick, 49, was flown via state police helicopter to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center at the University of Maryland in Baltimore. She was the front seat passenger.

The other rear seat passenger, Kevin Dye, 59, of New York, was taken via ambulance to Meritus Medical Center east of Hagerstown, according to state police.

Darrin Wayne Shank Jr., 55, of Williamsport and the driver of one of the tractor-trailers, also was taken to Meritus, according to state police.

Shank was driving a tractor-trailer from Estes Express Lines, based in Richmond, Va. The company provided the following statement:

"Earlier today, an Estes truck was involved in an accident near Hagerstown, Maryland, while traveling on Interstate 81. We are cooperating with local and state law enforcement as they respond to and investigate this situation. We extend our deepest sympathies and prayers to those involved in this tragic accident."

Washington County Emergency Services Director R. David Hays said there were three other patients who refused being taken to the hospital.

Hays said five people were trapped in vehicles when emergency responders arrived, including the two deceased. One of those trapped was able to climb out on their own. One was the person taken to Shock Trauma and the other was taken to Meritus, he said.

State police said the two who died were pronounced dead at the scene.

Massive response to I-81 crash

Hays said the state's Go-Team, a group of surgeons with blood units for trauma patients, was being flown to the scene from Shock Trauma until it was determined it was no longer needed on scene.

Not counting police, Hays said more than 60 emergency personnel responded to the crash. Among the units responding were Washington County's hazmat team and the rehab unit, which helped take care of emergency personnel working in the heat during a prolonged response.

Once crews are done they will review what went well, what didn't and how everyone is doing, Hays said. That is when officials will determine if any of the responders need counseling, he said.

The hazmat unit pumped diesel fuel from one of the tractor-trailer tanks and put down absorbent to contain fluid spills, Hays said.

In addition to state troopers, the Washington County State's Attorney's Office had representatives at the scene.

Crash causes traffic backups in region, delays school buses

The more than six-hour closure of southbound I-81, still closed into late Friday afternoon, caused traffic congestion on surrounding roads and backups on I-81 in Pennsylvania.

At least two school districts, Washington County Public Schools in Maryland and Greencastle-Antrim School District in Pennsylvania, announced the traffic issues were expected to cause delays for school buses taking students home Friday.

Extra troopers out for Labor Day weekend

While it wasn't known where the New Yorkers were headed, the crash happened at the start of a typically busy holiday traffic weekend.

Another fatal I-81 crash: ATV racing champ among 5 killed in I-81 crash

Russo said state police had already announced it will have extra troopers on the road, statewide, looking for impaired, distracted and aggressive drivers and drivers speeding and violating the rules of the road.

State police are "asking motorists to heed caution this holiday weekend due to the higher volume of traffic," Russo said.

Second fatal crash on I-81 in the region in a month

Friday's fatal crash on Interstate 81 is the second fatal crash along the highway in the Tri-State area in less than a month.

A blown tire led to a crash in Greene Township, north of Chambersburg in Franklin County, Pa., the night of Aug. 9, killing five people and a dog.

Donald Molander, Kimberly Molander and their children Miranda Molander, 21, and ATV-racer Dane Molander, 19, of Middletown, Pa., and James Shade, of Martinsburg, W. Va., were pronounced dead at the scene, according to Pennsylvania State Police.

The Molanders were traveling south on I-81 in an RV that was towing an enclosed trailer. The front left tire blew out, causing the motorhome to travel across the grass median and into the northbound lanes. The RV struck a tractor-trailer head-on. Shade was driving the truck.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: A six-vehicle crash on I-81 in Maryland leaves two New Yorkers dead