Police say a 13-year-old was driving a stolen Kia carrying seven youths when it collided with William Vance Payne II’s car.
GERMANTOWN, MD — Two youths remained in critical condition nearly a week after a stolen Kia carrying seven children crashed into another vehicle in Germantown, killing 58-year-old William Vance Payne II, a father of five who was driving to work, according to Montgomery County police.
Police said Monday that both hospitalized youths had been stabilized and were expected to survive. One is a 13-year-old boy whom investigators believe was driving the Kia. Police are continuing to investigate the Aug. 4 collision and have not announced charges. Investigators still want to interview the two hospitalized youths before presenting their findings to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office.
The crash happened about 5:25 a.m. at Clopper Road and Great Seneca Highway. Investigators said Payne was driving a 2007 Toyota Matrix east on Clopper Road when it collided with a northbound 2015 Kia Optima. Payne was pronounced dead at the scene. The seven young people in the Kia, all between ages 12 and 15, were taken to hospitals and trauma centers.
Police said the Kia contained four girls, ages 14, 14, 13 and 12, and three boys, ages 15, 13 and 12. None was old enough to legally drive. The 13-year-old boy believed to have been behind the wheel was initially described as being in critical but stable condition. By Monday, police said a second youth also remained in critical condition.
The Kia was later reported stolen from Germantown. Police have not publicly identified the exact location where it was taken. David Reed, director of traffic operations for Montgomery County police, said investigators believe the youths’ actions were modeled on a years-old social media trend involving thefts of some Kia and Hyundai vehicles. Investigators are examining witness statements, vehicle data and traffic conditions as they try to determine what happened before the collision.
Police said completing that work is necessary before prosecutors can decide whether charges are appropriate. Investigators also have not publicly announced who they believe participated in taking the Kia or what role, if any, each passenger played before the crash. The Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office has said it will evaluate the case after receiving additional information from police.
Payne lived in Berryville, Virginia, and had worked for the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg for 29 years. NIST said he most recently served as a mechanical engineer in its Engineering Laboratory’s Building Energy and Environment Division. His research focused on improving the reliability, safety and efficiency of residential heat pumps and air-conditioning systems.
Payne was only minutes from work when the crash occurred. His wife told 7News that he was less than a year from retirement. In a statement released after his death, Payne’s family described him as a devoted father, husband and friend and asked for privacy while they grieve. Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich also offered condolences to Payne’s family and friends following the crash.
The case remains under investigation by Montgomery County police. Investigators said they plan to interview the two hospitalized youths as their medical conditions permit before forwarding the completed findings to prosecutors, who will determine whether criminal charges should be filed.
Author note: Last updated August 11, 2026.