Maryland State Police trooper hurt in crash on I-495

SILVER SPRING, Md. — A Maryland State Police trooper is in the hospital after his marked police cruiser was rear-ended by a speeding driver in a work zone Monday morning. The trooper's current condition is not known at this time.

Investigators say the crash happened around 4:30 a.m. on the inner loop of Interstate 495 inner loop near Silver Spring. Four lanes of the inner loop of the Beltway were closed early Monday morning for the crash investigation. Drivers in the area are urged to use alternate routes to avoid the crash area. 

A Maryland State Police spokesperson said the trooper was working in a work zone area at the time of the crash. The trooper was struck from behind by a speeding white Mercedes SUV. Two people in the SUV were also hospitalized. Their condition, or the severity of their injuries, is not known at this time. 

The Maryland State Police crash team is still on scene investigating. It is not known how long lanes will be closed for the crash investigation. 

This is a developing story. We are working to gather additional details. Stay with WUSA9 for the latest updates as they come in to our newsroom. 

Maryland's new Move Over Law went into effect on Oct. 1, 2022.  Under the law drivers are required to make a lane change or slow down when approaching all stopped, standing or parked cars displaying warning signals. The signals include:

Violating the law is a misdemeanor carrying a $110 fine and one point on your license. If the violation causes a crash, the fine is $150 and three points. If there is a death or serious injury, the fine is $750 and three points.