By: Ben T.C. Brooks |River Gee County Correspondent
Maryland County | Nov. 26, 2025 | Police in Maryland County are investigating a tragic early-morning accident in which a taxi ran off the Philadelphia Bridge along the Pleebo–Harper highway, killing two passengers and leaving three others critically injured.
The crash occurred just one day after the 12th commencement convocation at William V.S. Tubman University.
Authorities say the incident happened around 2:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 25, as the victims all residents of Harper were returning from Pleebo in a silver station-wagon taxi. Preliminary findings indicate the driver lost control, causing the vehicle to veer off the bridge and plunge into the water below.
The driver, Cyrus Hare, and passenger Agatha Toe were pronounced dead at JJ Dossen Memorial Hospital shortly after being pulled from the submerged vehicle. Both suffered severe injuries from the crash and drowning.
The accident was first discovered by Daniel F. Chea, a security officer assigned to the Ministry of Agriculture’s Chinese Farm station. Chea said he heard unusual noises from the roadway and initially assumed they were cattle.
“I first thought the sound was cattle,” he said. “But then I heard someone shouting, ‘My friend Agatha!’ That’s when I realized something serious had happened.”
Chea, along with nearby residents, rushed to the scene and began rescuing the victims from the sunken taxi. He described a frantic effort to save the occupants:
“When we brought the driver out, he opened his mouth two or three times and then passed away,” he recalled. “The surviving girl kept crying for her friend. We went back and retrieved Agatha Toe, but she had already died.”
Chea sustained cuts from shattered glass during the rescue and later received a tetanus shot.
Chief Inspector Moses Teoh of the Liberia National Police confirmed that five individuals were in the vehicle are two men and three women.
The three survivors, Samnora Stephens, 27, a recent Tubman University graduate and dux of the College of Business and Administration; Vivian Sampson, 39; and Teto Samuel, 23, are currently undergoing treatment at JJ Dossen Memorial Hospital.
Hospital sources report that all three are responding to care, with one survivor now in stable condition and able to walk.
Inspector Teoh said early investigations suggest the driver may have swerved to avoid an approaching vehicle with bright headlights. Speed is also believed to be a contributing factor.
“Accidents are unforeseen,” Teoh said. “We continue to advise motorists to drive at speeds they can manage, especially during periods of celebration like graduation.”
The taxi, reportedly owned by William Hare, the deceased driver’s brother, remains submerged beneath the bridge. Strong currents and low visibility have hindered recovery efforts.
Police say the investigation is ongoing and are urging motorists to exercise extreme caution, particularly during late-night travel.
