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Saturday night crash in Bethesda claims lives of three family members Collision in Bethesda claims lives of three family members Saturday night
(about 5 hours later)
A mother, father and their teenage son were killed Saturday night in a car crash near Walt Whitman High School in Montgomery County, at a Bethesda intersection that many in the community worried for years was “an accident waiting to happen,” the school’s principal said Sunday. A mother, father and their teenage son were killed Saturday evening in a car collision near Walt Whitman High School in Montgomery County, at a Bethesda intersection that many worried for years was “an accident waiting to happen,” the school’s principal said Sunday.
Another family member – a teenage daughter – was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. The driver of the other car involved, 20-year-old Ogulcan Atakoglu, was hospitalized and expected to survive. Another family member, a teenage daughter, was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. The driver of the other car, 20-year-old Ogulcan Atakoglu, was hospitalized and expected to survive.
The family — Michael and Alessandra Buarque De Macedo and their children Thomas and Helena — was headed to see a school play at Walt Whitman, principal Alan Goodwin said Sunday. Michael and Alessandra Buarque De Macedo and their children, Thomas and Helena, were headed to a school play at Whitman, principal Alan Goodwin said Sunday.
“The deaths are horrific,” Goodwin said. “I know for sure there’s going to be an outcry, from me and from the community.” “The deaths are horrific,” Goodwin said. “I know for sure there’s going to be an outcry from me and from the community.”
Goodwin said that Thomas, an 18-year-old senior, and Helena, a sophomore, were both known as very accomplished students. Goodwin described Thomas, an 18-year-old senior, and Helena, a sophomore, as accomplished students.
Thomas participated in debate and filled his schedule with top-tier classes, including Advanced Placement courses in physics, economics and multivariable calculus, Goodwin said.Thomas participated in debate and filled his schedule with top-tier classes, including Advanced Placement courses in physics, economics and multivariable calculus, Goodwin said.
Named a semifinalist in the National Merit Scholarship program due to his high standardized test scores, Thomas was aiming to perhaps attend an Ivy League college next year. He recently had an admissions interview for Columbia University, Goodwin said. Named a National Merit Scholarship semifinalist because of his high standardized test scores, Thomas aimed to attend an Ivy League college next year. He recently had an admissions interview for Columbia University, Goodwin said.
Goodwin said that Helena is similarly bright, taking honors math classes and an aerospace engineering course as a sophomore. Goodwin said that Helena also is bright, taking honors math classes and an aerospace engineering course this year. .
The teens and their parents were in their car together just before 7 p.m. Saturday when they were involved in a crash near the high school. The teens and their parents were in their car just before 7 p.m. Saturday when they were involved in the collision.
The intersection of River and Pyle road, which streams of students, parents and school buses use daily as a back entrance to Whitman, has no traffic light, a Montgomery County Police spokesman said Sunday. The intersection of River and Pyle roads, a juncture that students, parents and school buses use daily as a back entrance to Whitman, has no traffic light, a Montgomery County Police spokesman said Sunday.
The Buarque De Macedo family was there Saturday, heading east on River Road in their 2016 Chevrolet Volt. Michael Buarque De Macedo, 52, was driving, police said. The Buarque De Macedo family was heading east Saturday on River Road in a 2016 Chevrolet Volt. Michael Buarque De Macedo, 52, was driving, police said.
Buarque De Macedo was attempting to turn left onto Pyle Road, toward the school. As he did,his car collided with the car being driven by Atakoglu, a 2016 BMW M235, which was headed west on River Road. Buarque De Macedo was attempting to turn left onto Pyle Road, toward the school. As he did, his car collided with Atakoglu’s car, a 2016 BMW M235, which was headed west on River Road.
He, his wife Alessandra, 53, and Thomas were pronounced dead at the scene. Buarque De Macedo, an attorney and Web designer, his wife Alessandra, 53, and Thomas were pronounced dead at the scene.
Police are investigating what caused the crash. There was no immediate indication that alcohol was a factor, said Capt. Paul Starks, a police spokesman. Crash investigators are working to determine the BMW’s speed, Starks said. Police are investigating what caused the crash. Montgomery County Police Capt. Paul Starks said investigators found no immediate evidence that either driver had been drinking.
Goodwin said he has feared a devastating crash at that intersection ever since he became principal of the school 12 years ago. He said he has asked state and county officials multiple times about putting in a traffic light, but has been told “It’s too expensive” and “There hadn’t been any fatalities.” Detectives are working on learning the BMW’s speed, Starks said.
He said he tried to explain the dangerous dynamic — cars headed toward the Capital Beltway are speeding down a hill as they come down River Road toward the school. “It’s always tricky to cross that intersection simply because of speed,” he said. Goodwin said he has feared a devastating wreck at that intersection since he became principal of the school 12 years ago. He said he has asked state officials multiple times about putting in a traffic light, but has been told that it was too expensive and that there hadn’t been any fatalities.
Moreover, Goodwin said, cars often are trying to turn in every direction, because people are entering the school parking lot and leaving it again at the same time of day, as they drop off students. Without a traffic light, multiple cars might be stopped in the middle of the intersection, waiting to turn. He said he tried to explain the dangerous dynamic — cars headed toward the Capital Beltway are speeding down a hill as they come down River Road toward the school. “It’s always tricky to cross that intersection, simply because of speed,” he said.
“It’s awkward to say the least,” he said. “You can have three or four different cars waiting. It’s just really confusing. And in the morning, you add school buses to the mix.” Also, Goodwin said, cars often are trying to turn in different directions because people are entering and leaving the school parking lot as they drop off students. Without a traffic light, several cars could be in the middle of the intersection, waiting to turn.
Richard Boltuck, vice president of the Bannockburn Civic Association for the neighborhood near the school, said he organized a petition asking for a traffic light there in 2008, when his daughter was a senior there. “It’s awkward, to say the least,” he said. “You can have three or four different cars waiting. It’s just really confusing. And in the morning, you add school buses to the mix.”
He said more than 500 neighbors signed the petition, some adding comments that noted many new teen drivers, rushing to get to class on time, make that left turn every day. Richard Boltuck, vice president of the Bannockburn Civic Association in the neighborhood near the school, said he organized a petition asking for a traffic light in 2008, when his daughter was a senior at Whitman.
He said more than 500 neighbors signed the petition, some adding comments that noted many new teen drivers, rushing to get to class on time, make that turn every day.
Some parents told Boltuck that they forbade their teens from using that entrance to the school because of the hazard.Some parents told Boltuck that they forbade their teens from using that entrance to the school because of the hazard.
“In the end, even with all we did — the analysis, the petition, the community sentiment — the State Highway Administration didn’t budge,” Boltuck said. “Now three people are dead — it’s just absolutely painful.”“In the end, even with all we did — the analysis, the petition, the community sentiment — the State Highway Administration didn’t budge,” Boltuck said. “Now three people are dead — it’s just absolutely painful.”
A traffic light, Boltuck said, “should have happened 10 years ago. It would have saved their lives.”A traffic light, Boltuck said, “should have happened 10 years ago. It would have saved their lives.”
Goodwin agreed. The State Highway Administration declined to comment Sunday.
“It needs to be addressed, and I assume unfortunately now it will be,” Goodwin said. “That’s going to be the legacy of this tragedy.”“It needs to be addressed, and I assume unfortunately now it will be,” Goodwin said. “That’s going to be the legacy of this tragedy.”