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Driver was drunk at time of fatal wrong-way Route 50 crash: Police

By Megan Cloherty
Sarah Beth Hensley

WASHINGTON — The woman who drove the wrong way on Route 50 in July, leading to two deaths, was under the influence of alcohol at the time, police said Monday.

Maryland State Police say Christine Parks had a blood alcohol content of .34 when she drove eastbound in the westbound lanes of Route 50 in Annapolis on July 26. That’s more than four times the legal limit in Maryland.

Parks crashed head on into another vehicle, killing Hui Xu, a 34-year-old from Herndon, Virginia. Parks also died. Two others from California were injured in the 2 a.m. crash.

Parks’ toxicology tests came back negative for any drugs in her system.

Audiotapes of 911 calls before and after the crash suggest Parks drove more than five miles on the wrong side of Route 50.

Her family says Parks had celebrated her 31st birthday that night with friends.

The Maryland State Police Crash Team is still investigating the crash.

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