From the Aberdeen Police Department:
(Aberdeen, Maryland) January 26, 2012 – Aberdeen Police are investigating a fatal crash that happened at about 5:09 this morning.
The crash occurred at the intersection of MD Route 22 (Aberdeen Thruway) and Beards Hill Road. A tractor-trailer driven by Nelson Chambers 38, of Mechanicsburg PA and a 2006 Chevrolet sedan operated by Robert Simmons 47, of Aberdeen collided in the intersection.
Simmons had to be extricated from his vehicle by members of the Aberdeen Fire Department. Simmons was treated at the scene by paramedics and transported to Harford Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later. The tractor-trailer driver was not injured.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
Members of the Maryland Transportation Authority Police Crash Team and Commercial Vehicle Inspection Team are assisting in the investigation.
My wife who is a police officer witnessed the accident, and also stopped to render aid. It appears that Mr. Simmons ran the traffic light at Beards Hill and Rt.22. Mr. Simmons was waiting in the traffic to turn left from the Bush Chapel Side, when he abruptly left the turn lane to go around traffic. He entered Rt. 22 while both sides had a green light and attempted to make a left turn and was struck almost immediately by the T and T.
Before people get out of hand with comments I would just like to say that I personally run this Red Light nearly every day between the hours of 4 and 5 am. This is a horrible traffic light. I sat through it for nearly 7 minutes one morning. And when it does change to green it is for a total of 3 seconds (not exaggerating). The light gets better as the day goes on but in the AM hours it is terrible. I am in no way advocating running traffic lights but in Mr. Simmons case I understand.
My heart goes out to Mr. Simmons family.
Hopefully you never find yourself in this same unfortunate situation by running this same red light. If you happen to sit at this light for an excessive period of time, instead of running it, you have other safer options. You can go straight through the intersection (during a green light of course) and turn around in the Walgreens or McDonald’s parking lot. You can turn right at that intersection and then make a legal u-turn. You can travel down Middletown Rd (the Royal Farms rd)
You being a police officer should set an example instead of calling someone unintelligent because they chose to wait 15 min for the light to change green. You yourself sound like you may have chosen the wrong career path since you feel that the rules need bending. The laws were put in place for a reason. Unless an on-duty officer directed you to run the light, or other factors were in place, then unfortunately you were wrong. Just because you sat there for an lengthy amount of time(in your opinion) does not make you above the law.
Be safer. Travel a different route. Set an example.
Better yet, FIX THE LIGHT!!! Obviously from the comments, there is enough traffic in the early morning to warrant a green left turn more often and for longer periods during each sequence.
I agree 100% about fixing the light. But until it does get fixed, make the smarter choice.
How many more people are we going to kill before something is done about this intersection. The Aberdeen council had an opportunity to get in and force the State to change it but opted to go to a free dinner or something instead. This death is as much on Michael Bennett’s hands as anyone.
If it’s that much of a problem, get the community to complain to the MD SHA:
http://marylandsha.force.com/customercare/request_for_service
I’ve used the form before and they get in touch with you within a day.
I agree, this light between those hours is horrible. I personally run this from time to time as well.
This intersection is horrible. How many lives must we loose for someone to do something. I work in that area and see every day at least one or two accidents. I hear cars coming to a sudden stop. I also see people getting out of their cars and picking up car pieces. The traffic pattern has been changed and is scares me everyday to approach that intersection. Something must be done and done now. Let’s not waste another life.
guess that there red light didnt mean much.. but hey, it’s a great example to all the new young drivers. If you think you can beat it, you might just be dead wrong… and he won’t be running lights anymore. It just sucks for the truck driver, go for a piss test, get the truck inspected, write reports o nit. They should make all drivers do that in accidents.
If I were the tractor trailer driver I would be suing the estate of the person who broke the law. I have waited at red lights for 15 minutes before when they have problematic sensors. I’d rather arrive alive then worry about being a few minutes late.
Wow PISSED WITH THE GOVERNMENT and ONE MORE FORMER STUDENT are so insightful. Your comments are of no help to anyone at all. Personally I agree with the arriving alive and late comment, but you are an absolute idiot if you sit through a light for 15 minutes just because, and this is coming from a police officer. It’s good to know the first thing on your mind is suing the estate. Fortunately the T and T driver seems legitimately concerned with more than just getting a quick buck.
You are everything that is wrong with America, try being pissed at yourself instead of YOUR government.
I am pissed!
Hey BPD have you ever driven a tractor trailer or Commercial Motor Vehicle? Until you spend some time behind the wheel and dealing with all the BS from the DOT you can’t really understand. I can almost bet that the guy who died will sue the tractor trailer always happens same with the idiots who run railroad crossings suing the railroads. It’s not about the money its about protecting your self by showing the at fault party.
Also if you actually are a police officer would you be willing to put that statement in writing and sign it on departmental letter head? Would you really make it an official opinion saying its okay to run a red light do to a bad predictor circuit making it fail to change?
I know if I got caught running a redlight while on duty I would face formal charges and be taken out of service for at least 5 days no matter the circumstances.
Well I am pretty sure the guy who died won’t be suing anyone, since he’s dead, very intelligent statement. What does suing have to do with showing the at fault party? You can easily be found guilty in criminal court and not guilty in civil court, and vice versa.
Please explain these “formal charges” you speak of. Are you referring to criminal charges, DOT charges, or employer charges?
I am sorry that you are unhappy with the career path you have chosen, but again that is your choice. If you don’t like the rules you have to abide by then find another job. I have rules I have to follow too. There’s this one rule that say’s I can’t slap intellectuals as yourself because it’s not lawful. But sometimes the rules need bending. Also what the hell is an official opinion? I give fact based testimony based on evidence, circumstances, and common sense. Common sense tells me sometimes the rules don’t make sense and aren’t always followed to the degree intended. Mr. Simmons made a bad choice and paid with his life.
You continue living in your mistake free world of perfectness and I’ll keep make official opinions to myself…
First of all, prayers to the family of the deceased and the truck driver. I go through that intersection daily, but straight through on 22; never any problems with that particular light at my times and directions of travel. I will say that the next light on 22 w/b gets stuck and can hang up traffic on 22 for very long periods of time, and I have run that one a few times. But, while stopped at that light, one has 100% visibility off to the left, which is where any potential traffic may be coming through.
I used to commute off of Beards Hill and onto 22 – know all these intersections well. The lights got stuck all the time – get over it. Those lights getting stuck are more predictable than the weather.
I used to commute on a bicycle, so believe me when I say the average motorist on that stretch of road ran red lights and sped excessively very routinely. I think the posted speed is 40, and I swear if the cars were doing that the speeds on 95 under that bridge were pretty slow…
Prayers to the family of the deceased. Thoughts to the truck driver. To the next set of potential victims – 1) Give yourself 10 extra minutes in the morning knowing the delays you will likely face, 2) you know what can happen (we’re not breaking new ground with this accident), 3) quit whining about having to sit a few minutes waiting for a light – get over yourself, you’re not that much more important than the rest of us.
No apologies for sounding a bit tired of this tiresome scenario. People can’t wait for lights, can’t put that phone call off until they reach a destination, can’t organize themselves in such a fashion they must shave or put make-up on while driving, can’t read that text message later, etc… When you drive a vehicle – do that. Have patience. Be safe. I swear just saying these things makes me feel like I’ve hit on some epiphany in driving habits, but alas I’m no smarter than anyone else or have any great insight that is not realized by everyone else.
The traffic light works great in the commuting daylight hours, however that specific traffic light’s TURN SIGNAL pattern/sensors are FUBAR on the Busch Chapel/Left hand turn to 22 in the very early hours of the morning.
You will literally sit through numerous cycles of the patterns while the turn lane indicator stays on red.
Here’s a clue for anyone who is retarded enough to constantly sit there through that and “Run a red light”…There numerous other proper functioning lights along route 22 in Aberdeen in those early morning hours to go, the time it takes to go up another road sure the hell beats sitting there being a goober and complaining on the internet.
As a friend of Robby’s, I would first like to let all of you know what a wonderful person he was. He was never late to work, always wore a smile. During his divorce and even after he was still the nicest guy to his exwife. He absolutely adored his daughter. I will miss him dearly. Condolences go out to his family with my thoughts and prayers.
I hate how people can be so insensitive to these posts and immature. Please don’t post your negativity on these things and keep your fighting between the two of you, off if these pages. Its very frusteratong to see these kinds of posts when your grieving.
As far as the light goes, let this be a lesson to all, drive safely and drive smart.
Rip Robby Simmons
As a friend of Robby’s, I would first like to let all of you know what a wonderful person he was. He was never late to work, always wore a smile. During his divorce and even after he was still the nicest guy to his exwife. He absolutely adored his daughter. I will miss him dearly. Condolences go out to his family with my thoughts and prayers.
I hate how people can be so insensitive to these posts and immature. Please don’t post your negativity on these things and keep your fighting between the two of you, off if these pages. Its very frusteratong to see these kinds of posts when your grieving.
As far as the light goes, let this be a lesson to all, drive safely and drive smart.
Rip Robby Simmons
As a friend of Robby’s, I would first like to let all of you know what a wonderful person he was. He was never late to work, always wore a smile. During his divorce and even after he was still the nicest guy to his exwife. He absolutely adored his daughter. I will miss him dearly. Condolences go out to his family with my thoughts and prayers.
I hate how people can be so insensitive to these posts and immature. Please don’t post your negativity on these things and keep your fighting between the two of you, off if these pages. Its very frusteratong to see these kinds of posts when your grieving.
As far as the light goes, let this be a lesson to all, drive safely and drive smart.
Rip Robby Simmons
As a friend of Robby’s, I would first like to let all of you know what a wonderful person he was. He was never late to work, always wore a smile. During his divorce and even after he was still the nicest guy to his exwife. He absolutely adored his daughter. I will miss him dearly. Condolences go out to his family with my thoughts and prayers.
I hate how people can be so insensitive to these posts and immature. Please don’t post your negativity on these things and keep your fighting between the two of you, off if these pages. Its very frusteratong to see these kinds of posts when your grieving.
As far as the light goes, let this be a lesson to all, drive safely and drive smart.
Rip Robby Simmons
As a friend of Robby’s, I would first like to let all of you know what a wonderful person he was. He was never late to work, always wore a smile. During his divorce and even after he was still the nicest guy to his exwife. He absolutely adored his daughter. I will miss him dearly. Condolences go out to his family with my thoughts and prayers.
I hate how people can be so insensitive to these posts and immature. Please don’t post your negativity on these things and keep your fighting between the two of you, off if these pages. Its very frusteratong to see these kinds of posts when your grieving.
As far as the light goes, let this be a lesson to all, drive safely and drive smart.
Rip Robby Simmons
As a friend of Robby’s, I would first like to let all of you know what a wonderful person he was. He was never late to work, always wore a smile. During his divorce and even after he was still the nicest guy to his exwife. He absolutely adored his daughter. I will miss him dearly. Condolences go out to his family with my thoughts and prayers.
I hate how people can be so insensitive to these posts and immature. Please don’t post your negativity on these things and keep your fighting between the two of you, off if these pages. Its very frusteratong to see these kinds of posts when your grieving.
As far as the light goes, let this be a lesson to all, drive safely and drive smart.
Rip Robby Simmons
As a friend of Robby’s, I would first like to let all of you know what a wonderful person he was. He was never late to work, always wore a smile. During his divorce and even after he was still the nicest guy to his exwife. He absolutely adored his daughter. I will miss him dearly. Condolences go out to his family with my thoughts and prayers.
I hate how people can be so insensitive to these posts and immature. Please don’t post your negativity on these things and keep your fighting between the two of you, off if these pages. Its very frusteratong to see these kinds of posts when your grieving.
As far as the light goes, let this be a lesson to all, drive safely and drive smart.
Rip Robby Simmons
Condolences to the family of Mr Simmons, especially his daughter. Having said that, I wholeheartedly agree with LOCALGUY. Everyone is in such a hurry these days. I regularly get beeped at and given the finger while waiting for a green arrow when making a left hand turn at certain intersections. I have had up to 3 cars waiting behind me pull out into the left lane of traffic on Rt 24, pass me on the right and cut in front of me to make a left hand turn, all the while with cars in the oncoming lane fast approaching. I quizzed my friends about this and most of them feel that I am in the wrong, the cars coming in the opposite direction will see me coming and slow down. Everyone needs to take a deep breath, be patient and don’t ever think this can’t happen to you because it surely can, with dire consequences.
I have known the tracker trailer driver for 15 years. I have driven many thousands of miles with him and haven’t had a single accident. He is a professional through and through. As for Robby Simmons, my heart goes out to his family. This was an accident, and it is tragic. The TT driver has never had a drop of alcohol in his life. He works too hard and has a family of his own to take care of, so drugs are out of the question. In this fast paced world we live in we all need to take a breath, drink some water and realize that when our time is up, that’s it. Enjoy what you have because in the blink of an eye it could be gone. I wasn’t there so I don’t know what happened, but I know that all of us can pay a little more attention to the importance of safe driving, even myself. Again my most heart felt sympathy to the Simmons Family in there loss, and my thoughts and prayers to the driver, my best friend.
Just an observation but there seems to be an inordinate amount of traffic fatalities lately here in Harford County specifically along Rt. 543, 22 and Rt. 1…..a great many are being attributed to what appears to be distracted drivers who have single car accidents or crossing center lines or drivers who choose to not obey regulations put in place for the safety of themselves and OTHERS. With the influx of people from the northern states (aka BRAC) and as the volume of traffic increases I see this trend continuing and only getting worse…..speaking as one of those “OTHERS” who is damn tired of the near misses I’ve had over the last few months caused by those selfish few who are above the traffic laws can I suggest that those of you who habitually “run” this light should maybe consider a couple of things; 1) STOP running the light and or 2) take a different route if the light is causing you grief……….
To those who question the TT driver having to take a chemical (piss) test that is standard practice for ANY accident when you hold a CDL (commercial driver’s license) in ANY state. WE are held to a MUCH higher standard than the average driver.