Lieutenant Daniel John Friz has been with the MCPD for more than 18 years, and according to neighbors had three young daughters.
LISBON, Md. — A 50-year-old off-duty Montgomery County police Lieutenant was killed after being hit by a truck while he was outside his car along Interstate 70 in Lisbon, Maryland.
Lieutenant Daniel John Friz was pronounced dead at the scene.
At around 12:13 a.m. on Monday, Maryland State Police were called to the scene of a serious crash on I-70 west of Route 94 in Howard County. According to Montgomery County Police Chief Marcus Jones, Friz was outside his car when he was hit by a 2018 Freightliner. He was off-duty at the time of the crash and in his personal vehicle, Jones said.
MSP reported the tractor trailer was inspected at a nearby scale house and was found with no defects.
Maryland State Police said the investigation is ongoing.
Friz was a passenger in the vehicle when it stopped, according to Maryland State Police. Jones said he was outside the vehicle for unknown reasons when he was struck by the truck. Lieutenant Friz had been with the Montgomery County Police Department since January of 2003, and was most recently serving as Deputy Director of the Training and Education Division at the Public Safety Training Academy.
“The men and women of the Department thank the community for their continued thoughts and prayers for the family of Lieutenant Daniel Friz,” MCPD said in a statement.
According to neighbors of Friz – who lived in a rural area near Mt. Airy, Maryland – the loss is devastating for their community. Friz was well known for playing the bagpipes as entertainment, and neighbors said they loved to hear his music drifting through the trees.
Friz was a father of three elementary-age daughters, according to neighbors, who said his wife was also a Montgomery County Police officer.
Before coming to Montgomery, Friz worked for the Gaithersburg City Police Department and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department.
MSP asked that anyone who has information about the crash contact MSP.Media@maryland.gov.