Teen driver in stolen car crash kills Virginia man in Montgomery County
A 58-year-old Virginia man was killed when a stolen vehicle driven by a 13-year-old collided with his car in Germantown, Maryland, authorities said.
Montgomery County police identified William Vance Payne, 58, as the victim of a fatal crash that occurred Tuesday at the intersection of Clutter Road and Great Seneca Highway in Germantown. Payne was traveling east in a 2007 Toyota Matrix when it was struck by a 2015 Kia Optima that police later determined had been stolen. The Kia was carrying seven passengers, ages 12 to 15, including the 13-year-old driver.
The teenage driver was hospitalized in critical condition but later reported as stable, and the other occupants were taken to nearby trauma centers. Authorities have not disclosed the extent of their injuries or any pending charges, noting that the decision rests with the State's Attorney's Office, which declined to comment while the investigation continues.
Payne, a resident of Berryville, Virginia, was a father of five and was on his way to work at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg. NIST released a statement noting his 29-year tenure as a mechanical engineer focused on improving residential heating and cooling systems. The victim’s family issued a brief statement requesting privacy as they cope with the loss.