1 Dead, 1 Injured in Police Chase, Crash

A man died and a woman was taken to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries after the SUV in which they were travelling overturned on East Diamond Avenue in Gaithersburg shortly after 1:30 a.m. Thursday, according to a police statement.

Both were ejected out of the vehicle when it came to a stop after first hitting a utility pole, a bus stop, a tree, a fire hydrant and a pole support cable on East Diamond Avenue and then overturning in front of 503 E. Diamond Ave. The man was pronounced dead at the scene of the incident. Neither one's identity had been released as of Thursday morning, the police statement added.

The vehicle was spotted shortly before the crash by a police officer on North Summit Avenue. The SUV was traveling with its high-beam headlights on, and when the driver failed to dim the high-beam lights, the officer U-turned to catch up to and stop the vehicle, police reported.

That's when, police said, the SUV accelerated and turned east onto East Diamond Avenue, traveling through a red light.

The officer lost sight of the vehicle, and began checking businesses and driveways along East Diamond Avenue, eventually finding the vehicle overturned at 503 E. Diamond Ave., police reported.

Witnesses are asked to contact the Montgomery County Police Department's Collision Reconstruction Unit at 240-773-6620. Callers may remain anonymous.