Driver killed in early morning crash on I-695 in Towson

TOWSON - The driver of a semi tractor trailer pulling a load of Calcium Carbonate was killed this morning in a crash on I-695 in Towson.

The Maryland State Police crash team is continuing to investigate, but believes that the victim was driving on the inner loop of I-695 at about 4:30 a.m. when his truck veered off of the road and hit an unoccupied minivan on the shoulder of the road.

The tractor part of the vehicle caught on fire after the entire truck overturned and finally came to rest against a soundwall about 100 feet from the road down an embankment. 

Thirty-nine year old Russell William Lewis of Baltimore was killed by the crash or the fire.

Troopers are working to determine why the truck veered into the car on the shoulder and have not ruled out a medical emergency or the possibility Lewis may have fallen asleep before the crash.

According to the information available so far, troopers do not believe that speed or alcohol were factors in the accident.

All lanes of traffic on I-695 between Dulaney Valley Road and Providence Road were shutdown while emergency crews worked to clean up debris from the crash.

Drivers were asked to avoid the area during Tuesday morning's rushour.

Lewis was an employee of a local company that was driving a load of Calcium Carbonate to a Baltimore City plant from Pennsylvania.

According to police, the unoccupied minivan that was struck by the semi tractor trailer was legally parked and was out of gas.

Troopers are still investigating and are asking anyone with any information about the crash to call the Golden Ring Barrack at 410-780-2700.