Two people killed outside vehicles on D.C. area highways

Two people were killed on major Washington area highways Friday in separate but similar incidents that occurred after the victims got out of damaged or disabled vehicles.

One incident happened shortly after 1 a.m. on the Baltimore- Washington Parkway in the Laurel area, and the other about 3 p.m. on the Dulles Toll Road near Tysons Corner, according to authorities.

The most recent accident occurred after a taxicab and a pickup truck collided in the eastbound lanes, and the drivers got out, said a spokesman for the agency that operates the airport and the road.

A sport-utility vehicle hit the other two vehicles, which were in a center traffic lane. The pickup driver, who was apparently near his vehicle, was fatally injured, said airports authority spokesman Rob Yingling. He identified the pickup driver as Kenneth Edward Wright of Frederick.

In the earlier incident, U.S. Park Police said a man whose car had apparently broken down in the parkway's southbound lanes was pushing it when another vehicle struck him. The incident occurred between Routes 197 and 198, Sgt. David Schlosser said.

Schlosser urged motorists whose vehicles break down to get off the road and call police.

Roads were closed for a time after each of the two incidents. Rush-hour delays in Virginia were reported as particularly long.

wilgorend@washpost.com