On September 11, 2026, at approximately 7:50 p.m., deputies from the Patrol Services Division of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a motor vehicle crash involving a pedestrian in the 100 block of Royal Oak Drive in Bel Air. Both the driver and the pedestrian involved are residents of the neighborhood. The driver, an adult male, remained on the scene.

The pedestrian, identified as Joanne Philipovich, 81, of Bel Air, was provided immediate life‑saving measures by deputies and emergency medical personnel before being transported to University of Maryland Shock Trauma, where she later died.

Preliminary information indicates Philipovich was crossing the street in front of her home at the time of the crash. The area of roadway has no crosswalks or overhead lighting. At this stage of the investigation, the contributing factor to the crash is believed to be pedestrian error. The driver remained on scene, was not cited for any negligence, and was released; as a result, his identifying information is not being released.

Deputies from the Harford County Sheriff’s Office Crash Team responded and assumed the investigation into the cause and circumstances of the crash. The investigation remains active and ongoing. No further information will be released at this time.

Anyone who may have witnessed the crash or who has information related to the incident is asked to contact the Harford County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit at 443‑409‑3324.