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3 teen boys killed in car that crashed into semi-truck on I-81

Maryland State Police is investigating the "cause and contributing factors" but did say the teen driver was traveling at a high rate of speed when they crashed.

HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Maryland State Police are investigating a deadly crash in Hagerstown, Maryland Thursday night in which three teenage boys were killed. 

Troopers from the Hagerstown Barrack responded to a reported crash involving two vehicles just before 9 p.m. Thursday on I-81 North. A black Lexus sedan, driven by 17-year-old Tyler Josenhans, had two teen passengers and was merging onto I-81 "at a high rate of speed" when it crashed into the passenger cabin portion of a semi-truck, according to police. The driver of the truck, who was not hurt, was approaching Route 40 East/Exit 6A at the time of the crash. 

Josenhans and 16-year-old Clayton Knode were pronounced dead at the scene. The third teen, 16-year-old Kannon Shives, who was in the front passenger seat, was flown to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore for treatment. He died Friday evening in the hospital. 

According to the Hagerstown Police Department (HPD), Knode was the son of an HPD Sgt. Eric Knode. 

"Today and in the coming weeks and months, we will rally behind our brother in blue who lost his son at just 16 years old," the department wrote in a Facebook post. "Your HPD family is here for you, for whatever it is you might need.  Our hearts and prayers go out to not only the Knode family but also the Josenhans and Shives families." 

Our hearts are broken after learning of the devastating car crash last night on I-81. Today and in the coming weeks and...

Posted by Hagerstown Police Department on Friday, August 26, 2022

Josenhans and Shives were teammates on the Clear Spring High School baseball team, according to classmates WUSA9 spoke with Friday. Knode was also a student athlete at the school, they said.

The baseball field became an unofficial memorial to the boys, and Washington County Public Schools' superintendent said they will be offering up crisis counselors when school begins Monday. 

Credit: Scott Broom/ WUSA9

"This is just such a huge loss for our community and it's such a tight knit community," school parent Melinda Lohman-Hinz said. "Everyone knows everyone and our hearts are just breaking for those families."

Washington County sheriff's deputies and fire and EMS responders also assisted on scene. Maryland State Police is handling the investigation into the crash. 

"The cause and contributing factors involved in this crash remain under investigation," Maryland State Police said in a release.

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