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WEBVTT LIEF.THIS IS 22-YEAR-OLD LAURA ASHLEYMURPHY, HOLDING HER 14-MONTH-OLDSON. FRIENDS TELL 11 NEWS THEYARE DEVASTATED OVER THE LOSS OFTHE KIND HEARTED YOUNG LADY ANDAMAZING MOTHER.IT IS HARD TO LOOK AT HER 2017VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. POLICE SAY ITWAS TRAVELING IN THE WRONGDIRECTION OF ROUTE 50, GOINGWESTBOUND IN THE EASTBOUND LANESABOUT THIS AFTERNOON, TRIGGERING-- 130 THIS AFTERNOON TRIGGERING, FRANTIC CALLS TO 911.>> OUR TROOPERS WERE ALREADYHEADING OUT THERE TO FIND HER,MOMENTS LATER WE GOT MORE 911CALLS REPORTING THE CRASH.ADAM MURPHY WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD: ON THE SCENE, HER BABYAIRLIFTED TO JOHNS HOPKINS.MEANWHILE, IT TOOK EMERGENCYRESPONDERS MORE THAN TWO HOURSTO FREE THE DRIVER OF THEMERCEDES SUV MURPHY HIT.HE WAS FLOWN TO SHOCK TRAUMA.INVESTIGATORS ARE STILL TRYINGAND LATER DIED.INVESTIGATORS ARE STILL TRYINGTO DETERMINE EXACTLY WHEREMURPHY ENTERED THE HIGHWAY, ORHOW LONG SHE WAS TRAVELING THEWRONG WAY.OTHER QUESTIONS INCLUDE -- >>WAS THE DRIVER IMPAIRED, WAS HEOR SHE DISTRACTED BY A PHONE,DID THEY KNOW WHERE THEY WEREGOING.THERE'S SO MANY FACTORS THCOULD BE PART OF THIS CRASH, ITIS CERTAINLY TOO EARLY TO KNOWWHAT THAT MAY HAVE BEEN.ADAM A RECENT INVESTIGATION BY: THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATIONSAFETY BOARD FOUND MORE THAN 300FATAL WRONG WAY CRASHES EACHYEAR IN THE U.S., MORE THAN HALFINVOLVE ALCOHOL IMPAIRMENT.THE VAST MAJORITY THEY OCCURNIGHTS AND WEEKENDS, MAKING THISACCIDENT IN THE MIDDLE OF THEDAY ALL THE MORE PUZZLINTHAT SECOND VICTIM HAS BEENIDENTIFIED AS ROBERT SKIDMORE,66 YEARS OLD FROM CAPE ST. CLAIRIN MARYLAND.INVESTIGATORS ARE HOPING SOMEPEOPLE FROM THE PUBLIC CAN COMEFORWARD AND HELP THEM WITH HISINVESTIGATION, THEY ARE LOOKINGFOR ANYONE WHO MAY HAVE SEENTHAT VOLKSWAGEN GET ON ROUTE 50GOING THE WRONG WAY.THEY WANT TO KNOW EXACTLY WHERETHAT HAPPENED AND TRY TO FIGUREOUT HOW LONG THE DRIVER WASGOING THE WRONG WAY.

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Two are dead and a child was seriously injured Wednesday afternoon in a wrong-way crash on U.S. Route 50 in Anne Arundel County, Maryland State Police said. State police said preliminary information indicates that an SUV was traveling west in the eastbound lanes of Route 50 around 1:30 p.m., striking another SUV head-on between Ritchie Highway and Bay Dale Drive. State police said Laura Ashley Murphy, 22, of Salisbury, was driving in the wrong direction and she died at the scene. A 14-month-old boy in Murphy's vehicle was flown to Johns Hopkins Children's Center. The vehicle that was struck by the wrong-way driver ended up in a wooded area off the highway. SkyTeam 11 reported at 3:17 p.m. that a tow truck was able to get the vehicle upright and crews were able to rescue a man inside who was struck from the waist down. The man was flown to Shock Trauma, where he later died. The deceased victim has been identified as 66-year-old Robert Skidmore of Cape St. Claire. The Shock Trauma Go Team was flown to the scene to assist in the rescue operation. A third vehicle was involved, but its occupants were not injured, state police said. "Our troopers were already heading out there to find her, moments later we got more 911 calls reporting the crash," Maryland State Police spokeswoman Elena Russo said. The eastbound lanes of Route 50 remained closed until all lanes were reopened by 5:40 p.m. Westbound lanes of Route 50 were shut down until almost 4:30 p.m., when two lanes were reopened. SkyTeam 11 reported that the traffic backups approaching the scene extended for as much as 3 miles in each direction. Investigators are still trying to determine exactly where Murphy entered the highway or how long she was traveling the wrong way. Russo said there are still plenty of unanswered questions. "Was the driver impaired?" Russo said. "Was he or she distracted by a phone? Did they know where they were going? There's so many factors that could have contributed to this crash. It's too early to know what that may have been." A recent investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board found more than 300 fatal wrong way crashes each year in the U.S. More than half of such accidents involve alcohol impairment, although the vast majority of those occur on nights and weekends, which makes this accident in the middle of the day all the more puzzling. The governor released a statement on Facebook, saying: The first lady and I are heartbroken to hear of this fatal crash on Route 50. We extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the victim of this accident, and our prayers are with those who were injured and remain in serious condition. We are extremely grateful to the first responders who continue to work at the scene to keep everyone safe. Refresh WBALTV.com and our app, and watch 11 News for late-breaking updates. Also on WBALTV.com: