• 17
  • January
    2012

Authorities in Thurmont, a town north of Frederick and south of Emmitsburg, are investigating a sad and mysterious series of incidents that have left one man dead and a second injured with a possibly self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

The Frederick County Sheriff's Office says that 18-year-old Brandon E. Herbert died in a car accident in the early morning hours of Saturday along Black Road near Eylers Valley Flint Road. Officials say they received a call about a body in the road and responded. When they got there, they found Herbert's body. He appeared to have suffered injuries in a vehicle crash, but there was no vehicle around. They did find car damage debris and skid marks in the area. Today, friends and relatives wonder about the wrongful death.

Authorities say they learned that Herbert had been with a friend, Seth B. Fisher, 18, the night of his death. They tracked Fisher down at his home and found a pickup truck with damage that they say was consistent with what was at the crash scene. Police tried knocking, but got no answer. And when they looked in a window they saw a man with a serious head injury inside. Officials say it was Fisher and he appeared to have a shot himself. He was rushed to a hospital and was reported in critical condition as of Monday.

The investigation into exactly what happened is ongoing. Officials say Herbert's body is in Baltimore for an autopsy.

Meanwhile, the community of Thurmont is said to be wrestling with questions over how this all came about.

Source: The Herald-Mail, "Thurmont man treated for gunshot wound after friend found dead in roadway," Dan Dearth, Jan. 16, 2012