2 days ago
93-year-old pedestrian killed by unmarked police car in Howard County, officials say
A 93-year-old woman died after being hit by an unmarked police vehicle in Howard County on Friday, department officials said.
The crash involved a plainclothed Howard County Police officer who was on duty, according to officials.
The officer was leaving a parking spot in the 6400 block of Dobbin Road in Columbia around 6:45 a.m. when they hit a pedestrian who was walking in the "travel portion of the parking lot," officials said.
The 93-year-old woman was taken to Shock Trauma, where she later died.
An investigation is ongoing, though police said they do not believe speed was a factor.
The involved officer, who is assigned to the Technical Support Section, was placed on administrative leave, police said.
Between 2022 and 2025, fatal pedestrian-involved crashes declined by almost 80% in Howard County, according to data from the Maryland Highway Office.
In 2022, there were a total of 29 deaths from vehicle crashes in the county, five of which involved pedestrians. In 2023, there were a total of 23 deaths, and six involved pedestrians. In 2024, there were a total of 21 deaths, and eight involved pedestrians.
So far in 2025, there have been 10 fatal crashes in Howard County, and one involved a pedestrian.
Deadly pedestrian-involved crashes have declined by nearly 57% in the past four years across Maryland.
In 2022, the state saw a total of 566 deadly crashes, and 130 of them involved pedestrians. In 2023, there were 622 crash deaths recorded, 158 involving pedestrians. In 2024, Maryland recorded 571 fatalities, and 149 involved pedestrians
So far in 2025, there have been 275 crash deaths in the state, with 55 involving pedestrians.
