Joan Jones, Patrick Merkel, Jacques Berg Airport discussed on WTOP 24 Hour News
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5 O three Tuesday morning November 29th, sunny the start, but clouding up later with highs of the low to mid 50s. Good morning, I'm Joan Jones. And I'm Bruce Allen here at the top local stories we're following for you this hour. One of the two passengers who was on board that small plane that crashed into a transmission tower at a Montgomery Montgomery village Sunday evening is still in a hospital this morning. The other has been released. The cause of the crash still isn't known, but we now have the 9-1-1 call made by the pilot, 66 year old Patrick Merkel. I've flown into a tower to the northwest of Jacques Berg airport. The calmness in his voice belies the predicament he and his passenger 66 year old Janet Williams were in. Trapped about 100 feet off the ground, their plane dangling from the tower. I'm just concerned about our articulation and the possibility that we could slip out of this tower. The 9-1-1 call taker asked about injuries and offered clear directions as first responders began the rescue. Stay inside of the plane, obviously, keep as still as you can. You're working on getting up to you guys. Emergency personnel stayed in constant contact with pilot and passenger during the ordeal. The national transportation safety board is investigating the crash and expects to have a preliminary report within two to three weeks and a final report within 12 to 24 months. Drivers in Maryland have until the end of the day tomorrow to save some money on unpaid tolls. For 9 months, drivers in Maryland have been given a break. The state has allowed drivers who have late fees on their unpaid video tolls to pay their tolls without having to pay the late fees. Maryland transportation secretary James ports. The software will