U.S. 340 crash kills woman; police say other driver made 'aggressive lane change,' left scene

Jack Hogan and Andrew Schotz, The Frederick News-Post, Md.
·2 min read

Apr. 26—A Virginia woman was killed, and two other people were injured on Monday when their SUV flipped over on U.S. 340 because another driver made an "aggressive lane change," police said.

The driver of the silver Jeep Liberty that entered their lane did not stop after the crash, Maryland State Police said in a news release.

Police said witnesses provided a description of the vehicle and its license plate number, allowing troopers to go to the home of the registered owner.

The owner told police that his son was operating the Jeep, police said. The news release did not identify the Jeep owner or his son.

State Police shared details of the investigation with the Frederick County State's Attorney's Office, which will review the case after police finish their investigation. The state's attorney's office then will consider whether to file charges, the news release said.

Police identified the woman who died as Shannon Kephart, 48, of Winchester, Virginia — who was sitting in the right front passenger seat in the Honda CR-V that flipped over.

Dean Kephart, 61, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, who was driving the CR-V, was taken by ambulance to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, police said.

The passenger in the rear left seat was Cathy Cyrus, 68, of Olney, police said. She was flown to the Shock Trauma Center.

The crash happened shortly after 1:30 p.m. on U.S. 340 at Md. 180 in Petersville.

Police said the Jeep driver's lane change while traveling east on U.S. 340 caused the CR-V driver to veer off the left side of the road, then overcorrect and cross all lanes before hitting a guardrail. The vehicle flipped over onto its roof on the highway.

The driver of the Jeep kept going and left the scene, police said.

Later at the scene, the CR-V's windows were shattered and its contents, including a suitcase, were strewn across the road.

Two truck drivers who witnessed the crash said they saw the SUV swerve to avoid another vehicle, go airborne and flip along the highway.

The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration helped close the road and provide detours during the investigation. It was closed for about four hours.

The Jefferson Volunteer Fire Company also assisted at the scene.

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