Update: Senior Thomas Buarque De Macedo and his parents, Michael and Alessandra M. Buarque De Macedo, lost their lives in yesterday’s crash. His sister, sophomore Helena Buarque De Macedo, suffered life-threatening injuries. Students, staff and community members gathered in front of the school to hold a candlelight vigil the tonight.
An email from Dr. Goodwin over Whitnet at 6:57 a.m. about the crash reads as follows:
“Now that information has been released, please see below. Another email will be coming later this morning. We must join together as a community to support our students, family, and school staff.
Detectives with the Montgomery County Police Collision Reconstruction Unit are investigating a collision that occurred Saturday night that involves three fatalities.
On Saturday, February 28 at approximately 6:56 p.m., 2nd District officers and Fire and Rescue personnel responded to River Road and Pyle Road for a report of a serious collision. Investigation determined that a blue, 2016 BMW M235, operated by Ogulkan Atakoglu was traveling west (outbound) on River Road. At the same time, a gray, 2016 Chevrolet Volt, operated by Michael Buarque De Macedo, was traveling east (inbound) on River Road. As the Volt was attempting to turn left onto Pyle Road the two vehicles collided.
The four occupants in the Volt, a family of two parents and two children, were all seriously injured. Three occupants succumbed to their injuries on the scene. They are being identified as, Michael Buarque De Macedo, 52 years old, driving, Alessandra M. Buarque De Macedo, 53 years old, a rear seat passenger, and Thomas Michael Buarque De Macedo, 17 years old, the front seat passenger. Helena Buarque De Macedo, a rear seat passenger, was transported to a local trauma center with life threatening injuries. Her age cannot be confirmed at this time, but she is believed to be a teenager. Mr. and Mrs. Buarque DeMacedo lived with their son Thomas and daughter Helena in the 7000 block of Loch Lomond Drive in Bethesda.
Ogulcan Atakoglu, 20 years old, was transported to a local trauma center with non-life-threatening injuries.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article has been updated to reflect new information that has come in. It was initially reported that no Whitman students had been killed.
This story will updated as more information about the crash comes in.
