Mother, daughter killed in wrong-way crash on I-270 in Maryland; driver arrested

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (7News) — A mother and daughter were killed in a wrong-way crash on Interstate 270 in Montgomery County, Maryland, on Saturday night, and the other driver now faces multiple criminal charges.

Maryland State Police (MSP) identified the victims as Musammat Shamima Begum, 46, and Areebah Jahin, 23, of Burke and Alexandria, Virginia.

Police said the two were mother and daughter and were riding in a Toyota Camry.

The fatal crash happened around 6:46 p.m. Aug. 29 in the southbound lanes of I-270, just south of Democracy Boulevard near Bethesda.

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A Ford Mustang was traveling northbound in the southbound lanes when it slammed into the Toyota head-on, according to a preliminary investigation. Begum and Jahin were killed in the crash.

The 62-year-old man driving the Toyota and an 8-year-old girl who was also inside were taken by ambulance to nearby hospitals for treatment.

Police identified the Mustang driver as Jose Caballero Nolasco, 32, of Germantown. He was also hospitalized following the crash.

Investigators believe impairment may have contributed to the collision.

Driver faces manslaughter, impaired-driving charges

Nolasco has been charged with two counts of gross negligent manslaughter, two counts of homicide by motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol, and one count of life-threatening injury by motor vehicle, according to state police.

Police said Nolasco has since been released from the hospital and taken to the Montgomery County Detention Center, where he is awaiting an appearance before a court commissioner.

Southbound lanes were closed for nearly five hours while investigators worked at the scene.

MSP’s Crash Team is leading the ongoing investigation, officials said.