Caroline County, MD - The Maryland State Police are investigating a tragic three-vehicle accident in Caroline County that claimed the lives of two people earlier this morning.

The victims, identified as Lavonne Bratcher, 55, and Vincent Bratcher, 56, both from Hurlock, Maryland, were pronounced dead at the scene by Caroline County medical services personnel. The incident occurred early this morning before 7 a.m. on MD Route 313, north of Laurel Grove Road.

The Jeep driver was identified as Christopher McMullen, age 31, a resident of Federalsburg, Maryland. McMullen was transported alongside an unidentified passenger and the operator of a GMC, the third vehicle involved, to the University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Easton, Maryland, for their injuries. The extent of their injuries has not been clarified at this point.

Preliminary findings from the investigation suggest that the accident occurred as the Mazda, driven by Bratcher, tried to turn left onto Laurel Grove Road. For reasons still under investigation, a Jeep crashed into the rear of the Mazda, which was then struck by a GMC. The impact led to the closure of Route 313 for more than three and a half hours while investigators worked on the scene.

The Maryland State Police Crash Team has taken over the ongoing investigation. Once completed, the Crash Team will present their findings to the Caroline County State's Attorney's Office, which will determine whether any charges are to be made.

As of now, the cause of the crash remains unclear. We await more information from the Maryland State Police as their investigation proceeds.