Friends Launch GoFundMe for Maria Fuentes Diaz After Fatal Laurel Crash
Maria Fuentes Diaz, 34, of Washington DC, died in April 25 crash on Route 198 in Laurel; family launches GoFundMe for funeral and children Joslyn and
A Washington, D.C., woman died after a two-vehicle crash early Saturday at the intersection of 11th Street and eastbound Route 198 in Laurel, Maryland, police said. The victim has been identified as Maria Fuentes Diaz, 34, whose sudden death has prompted an outpouring of grief and a community fundraiser for her family and three young children left behind.
Laurel police said officers and firefighters responded about 3:36 a.m. on April 25 and found Fuentes Diaz dead in her vehicle from injuries suffered in the collision. Investigators said the crash involved two vehicles in the eastbound lanes of Route 198 near 11th Street, a busy corridor that connects residential neighborhoods to major highways and commercial areas.
The other driver was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries, authorities said. Police have not announced any charges, and the crash remains under active investigation as officers work to determine speed, impairment, distraction, and other contributing factors that may have led to the deadly collision in the early morning darkness.
Relatives and friends created a GoFundMe campaign titled "Support for Maria Fuentes' Family" to help cover funeral expenses and provide financial support for her loved ones. The fundraiser describes Fuentes Diaz as a devoted family member whose life was taken after a drunk driver crashed into her car, though police have not officially confirmed impairment as a factor in the crash.
The page asks for donations to cover her funeral expenses and provide ongoing support for her children, Joslyn, Liam, and the rest of the family. Organizers said the funds will help ease the immediate financial burden as the family plans services, arranges travel for relatives coming from out of town, and navigates the sudden and devastating loss of a mother.
Friends remember Fuentes Diaz as a caring mother, daughter, sister, and friend who was deeply connected to her community in Washington, D.C. Tributes shared online highlight her warmth, her dedication to her children, her strong work ethic, her sense of humor, and the joy she brought to family gatherings, birthdays, holidays, and everyday moments.
The crash occurred in the early morning hours when traffic is typically light, raising questions about what led to the violent collision at the busy intersection. Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage from nearby businesses, analyzing vehicle data recorders, examining roadway evidence, and collecting witness statements as part of the ongoing probe to reconstruct the moments before impact.
Police are asking anyone who witnessed the crash or has information about the vehicles' movements before the collision to contact the Laurel Police Department's traffic unit at their non-emergency line. Meanwhile, the GoFundMe continues to grow as supporters share memories of Fuentes Diaz and rally around her children, with donors leaving messages of love, prayers, and promises to help carry her legacy forward for years to come.