The night of Tuesday, June 17, 2025, brought tragedy to Maryland’s Anne Arundel County, as a violent car crash claimed the lives of two young men: 30-year-old Thomas Oliver Sellman III of Churchton and 29-year-old Marcus Eric James Jr. of Shady Side. The collision, which occurred on northbound Interstate 97 just north of Farm Road, has since sparked an intensive investigation by the Maryland State Police and ignited an outpouring of grief in the local communities. As investigators work to untangle the sequence of events that led to this devastating accident, loved ones are grappling with the abrupt and irreversible loss of two lives in the prime of adulthood.

A Catastrophic Night on I-97

At approximately 9:03 p.m., the Maryland State Police Annapolis Barrack received emergency reports of a serious vehicular accident. Troopers and first responders rushed to the site, where they encountered a harrowing scene: a Dodge Durango, operated by Thomas Sellman III, had left the highway, plowed through a wooded area, slammed into two trees, and flipped over. The vehicle was likely mangled beyond recognition. Despite the immediate response, both Sellman and his passenger, Marcus James Jr., were pronounced dead at the scene—a testament to the severity and force of the impact.

While the accident occurred on a highway built for speed and flow, the conditions under which it unfolded remain opaque. Initial reports do not point to any obvious contributing factors such as speeding, impairment, or involvement of other vehicles. These unknowns deepen the mystery surrounding the crash and have made the need for a meticulous investigation all the more urgent.

Who Were the Victims?

The identities of the two men—Sellman and James—anchor the tragedy in the very real realm of personal loss. Thomas Oliver Sellman III hailed from Churchton, a quiet waterfront town in southern Anne Arundel County, while Marcus Eric James Jr. lived in Shady Side, another small, tight-knit community nearby. Both towns, known for their rural charm and deep-rooted familial networks, now mourn sons who won’t be coming home.

At just 30 and 29 years old respectively, Sellman and James were part of a demographic considered most vulnerable to fatal highway accidents—young adult males. While official tributes or statements have not yet been released by the families, the shock has reverberated through their neighborhoods and likely through the wider county. Their sudden deaths leave not only an emotional vacuum for their relatives and friends but also raise broader concerns about safety on Maryland’s roadways.

The Site of Impact: I-97 Northbound

Interstate 97, where the crash took place, is a critical connector between Annapolis and Baltimore, bearing heavy traffic loads even into late evening hours. The specific area—north of Farm Road—is generally considered routine and unremarkable in terms of topographical danger, making the incident all the more perplexing.

This highway segment features multiple lanes, a substantial shoulder, and adjacent wooded areas that offer little forgiveness for vehicles that veer off-course. It was into one such area that Sellman’s Durango is believed to have crashed after leaving the paved shoulder. The precise reason the vehicle left the road is still under investigation, but such incidents are often associated with a wide range of factors—driver distraction, fatigue, mechanical failure, or evasive action taken to avoid another obstacle.

That the vehicle struck two trees before overturning points to a high-speed scenario or at least one involving significant forward momentum. Tree impacts are notoriously unforgiving due to the immovable mass and resistance they provide, often resulting in catastrophic outcomes, especially when combined with rollover dynamics.

Maryland State Police Lead the Investigation

The Maryland State Police Crash Team has assumed the lead in piecing together what exactly happened. These units are among the most specialized in the region, trained to conduct detailed accident reconstructions that can withstand scrutiny from both legal authorities and public inquiry.

Their process is comprehensive: officers will examine physical evidence at the scene—tire marks, debris patterns, and environmental damage—as well as the condition of the vehicle itself. Data from the car’s Event Data Recorder (EDR), often referred to as a black box, may reveal critical information such as pre-impact speed, braking behavior, seatbelt status, and throttle application. Such insights could determine whether the crash resulted from driver error, mechanical failure, or some external variable.

Moreover, forensic teams will likely analyze post-collision vehicle position, trajectory, and rotation to model how the SUV flipped. These models, when compared to on-the-ground evidence, provide invaluable insights into the moment-to-moment unfolding of the crash.

A Scene of Coordination and Closure

Assisting the State Police were the Anne Arundel County Police Department and the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration. The magnitude of the crash and the complexity of the response effort necessitated multi-agency coordination. Officers from the county police likely helped secure the scene and redirect traffic, while DOT crews implemented traffic control measures and helped clear the debris once investigators completed their work.

This four-hour closure of northbound I-97 was essential not only to preserve evidence but to protect responders in a high-risk environment. The thoroughness of the closure reflects a prioritization of procedural accuracy over public convenience—a grim but necessary balance in such deadly scenarios.

Unanswered Questions Linger

Despite the immediate and professional response, many vital questions remain unanswered:

• Was driver fatigue a factor, given the late evening hour?

• Could mechanical failure—such as brake malfunction or tire blowout—have caused the vehicle to veer off course?

• Were Sellman and James wearing seatbelts? This is a crucial determinant of survival in high-impact crashes.

• Could an external factor, like an animal or object on the road, have prompted a sudden swerve?

• Was there any pre-existing condition or distraction influencing driver behavior?

Investigators will also be considering potential impairment—though, as of now, authorities have not hinted at the presence of alcohol, drugs, or prescription medication. Toxicology reports may eventually provide clarity.

The absence of secondary vehicles in the incident removes some variables but also complicates the process. In multi-vehicle crashes, witness accounts and comparative positions offer important clues. In this case, officials must rely entirely on forensic evidence and possibly electronic data, unless a witness comes forward—a possibility that police are currently encouraging.

A Call for Witnesses

As part of standard protocol in unresolved fatal accidents, law enforcement has issued a public appeal for information. This step reflects not only investigative best practices but the importance of civilian observation in road safety. Anyone who may have observed the Durango’s behavior in the moments before the crash, or who has dashcam footage from that segment of the interstate, could provide pivotal details.

Even a minor observation—a lane change, erratic driving, or the presence of wildlife—could reshape the narrative of what occurred. In fatality investigations, crowd-sourced context can sometimes offer what data and technology cannot.

Broader Implications for Public Safety

This tragedy spotlights enduring concerns about road safety and the unpredictability of vehicle travel. Despite advancements in vehicle safety technology—ranging from lane-assist features to automated braking—road deaths continue to persist at alarming levels.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over 42,000 traffic fatalities occurred in the U.S. in 2023 alone, with single-vehicle incidents comprising a substantial portion of these deaths. For men in their 20s and early 30s, the risk factors are well-documented: nighttime driving, potential fatigue, and higher likelihood of taking driving risks.

Though it remains unclear whether any of these elements applied directly to the Sellman-James crash, their demographic profile matches a broader statistical pattern that demands ongoing policy and educational intervention.

Mourning in Churchton and Shady Side

As the investigation presses on, grief has taken center stage in Churchton and Shady Side. Both communities are known for their modest population sizes, strong local ties, and intergenerational roots. Tragedies here resonate more deeply due to the tight social fabric. The deaths of two men in their late twenties and early thirties are not just personal losses—they’re communal wounds.

Friends, classmates, coworkers, and extended family members are undoubtedly organizing memorials, vigils, or online tributes to honor the memories of Sellman and James. Though obituaries are still in development, the emotional toll is already evident in the silences and sorrow of the communities they leave behind.

Awaiting Answers

In the coming days or weeks, the Maryland State Police Crash Team is expected to release a comprehensive investigative report. This document will clarify the knowns and unknowns: the mechanical integrity of the vehicle, physical evidence at the scene, and data recovered from the vehicle’s systems. While no report can undo the loss or satisfy every lingering question, it will serve as the official narrative, potentially bringing some measure of closure.

Yet, the long-term implications of this crash will extend beyond the forensic file. For families, the mourning will stretch far into the future. For policymakers, it may reignite conversations about road design, vehicle inspection policies, or public safety campaigns. For drivers, it is a sobering reminder that even the most familiar routes carry latent danger.

Conclusion

The deaths of Thomas Oliver Sellman III and Marcus Eric James Jr. in a single-vehicle crash on Interstate 97 are a tragic embodiment of road travel’s inherent risks. As authorities continue to investigate, and as communities in Churchton and Shady Side grieve, the memory of June 17 will linger—not just as a date of death, but as a catalyst for reflection, vigilance, and perhaps change.