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13-Year-Old Steals Kia, Crash Kills One, Injures Six Children

8/7/2026

49 8 Full Breakdown

Summary

Payne Fatal Crash

William Vance Payne II died in a crash at the Clopper Road/Great Seneca Highway intersection on Aug. 4, 2026.
Police said a stolen 2015 Kia Optima driven by a 13-year-old boy caused the collision.
The teen driver and six passengers, ages 12 to 15, were hospitalized with injuries ranging from critical to varying severity.
A GoFundMe campaign for Payne’s family has raised over $66,000 as authorities investigate.

Summary

County Declares Mass-Casualty

Montgomery County officials declared the crash a mass-casualty incident after seven children required medical care.
First-responders dispatched five ambulances, five medic units and four fire engines to the site at 5:25 a.m.
The Maryland State Highway Administration coordinated detours and road closures on Clopper Road and Great Seneca Highway during cleanup.

History

Historical Context

NHTSA data shows teen drivers die at four times the adult rate, leading Congress to establish National Teen Driver Safety Week in 2007 with support from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm. In 2022 teens accounted for 5,239 U.S. traffic deaths, a pattern reflected by the 13-year-old’s stolen Kia crash in Montgomery County.

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Payne Fatal Crash

William Vance Payne II died in a crash at the Clopper Road/Great Seneca Highway intersection on Aug. 4, 2026.
Police said a stolen 2015 Kia Optima driven by a 13-year-old boy caused the collision.
The teen driver and six passengers, ages 12 to 15, were hospitalized with injuries ranging from critical to varying severity.
A GoFundMe campaign for Payne’s family has raised over $66,000 as authorities investigate.

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