Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich addressed the fatal Germantown crash involving a stolen vehicle and young juveniles in his weekly message, calling the incident “shocking” and offering condolences to the family of 58-year-old William Vance Payne II.
“I don’t often talk about crimes in this newsletter, but this week I felt it was important to address the shocking crash in Germantown involving young adolescents driving a stolen car that killed a Virginia man in Germantown,” Elrich wrote. “My condolences go out to his family and friends. This is the kind of loss that stuns many people in our community and across the area.”
Elrich also thanked Montgomery County Police for the time spent investigating the crash, saying investigations are important not only for building criminal cases but also for helping victims’ families understand what happened.
Payne, also known as Vance Payne, was killed at approximately 5:25 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 4, at Clopper Road and Great Seneca Highway. Police said his Toyota Matrix was struck by a Kia Optima that had been reported stolen from Germantown several hours earlier.
According to police, the Kia was occupied by seven juveniles between the ages of 12 and 15. The 13-year-old male driver was hospitalized in critical but stable condition, while the six passengers were also taken to area trauma centers with injuries.
A GoFundMe established for Payne’s family has now raised more than $100,000. Organizers describe Payne as a loving, funny, patient and dedicated husband and father of five who was on his way to work when the crash occurred.
Police have said the investigation could take several weeks to months. Any potential charges will be determined by the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office after investigators present their findings.
