By Christian Appleton
Harper, Maryland County — A tragic single-car accident in the early hours of Tuesday, November 25, 2025, claimed the lives of two people and left three others injured when a commercial taxi veered off the Pleebo–Harper Highway and plunged into the water near the Philadelphia Bridge.
The two deceased were identified as Cyrus Hare, the driver of the vehicle, and Ms. Agatha Toe, a student in the College of Business and Administration at William V.S. Tubman University (TU). Both victims were pronounced dead upon arrival at the James Jenkins Dossen Memorial Hospital.
The three survivors—Ms. Samnora Stephens (27), Ms. Vivian Sampson (39), and Mr. Teto Samuel (23)—are currently receiving treatment at the hospital. Police report that all three are responding positively to treatment.
Tragically, one of the survivors, Ms. Samnora Stephens, had just been celebrated as the dux (top student) of her college during TU’s 12th Commencement Convocation, held just hours before the horrific incident.
Daniel F. Chea, a security officer assigned to the Ministry of Agriculture’s Chinese Farm, was one of the first responders on the scene. He described a frightening and chaotic rescue effort as he and others struggled to pull victims from the submerged taxi in near-total darkness.
Chea initially heard noises that sounded like farmers complaining. “I thought it was cows,” he said. “But when I heard someone shouting, ‘My friend Agatha!’ I knew something serious had happened.”
Finding one survivor on the roadside calling for help, Chea rushed into the water.
“I jumped in the water and tried to force the car door,” he recounted. “When we managed to open it, we found the driver first. When we brought him out, he opened his mouth two or three times before he passed away.”
He and community members returned to the sinking silver station wagon after Ms. Stephens insisted her friend, Agatha Toe, was still trapped inside.
“When we brought her out, she had already died,” Chea said. “I carried her on my shoulder. Another boy jumped in the water to help. It was around 2:00 a.m.”
Chea, who sustained cuts from shattered glass and later received a tetanus injection, noted that the vehicle was found overturned with “the head under the water and the bottom up,” making the rescue exceptionally difficult. The car’s taillights remained lit, providing a faint guide for rescuers.
Chief Inspector Moses Teoh of the Liberia National Police (LNP) Maryland Detachment confirmed the details, stating the accident occurred between 1:30 a.m. and 2:00 a.m.
Inspector Teoh noted that Monday was a “merry-making day” due to the Tubman University graduation ceremonies, which kept many residents out late.
The taxi was carrying five occupants—three women and two men. Police say one of the survivors reported that an oncoming vehicle with excessively bright headlights temporarily blinded the driver. In attempting to avoid the vehicle, the taxi swerved off the road.
“From the information gathered, the bright lights from an oncoming vehicle affected the driver’s vision,” Inspector Teoh said. “Speed may have also been a factor.”
While early reports suggested the driver may have consumed alcohol, police say this has not been confirmed, and investigations are ongoing.
Inspector Teoh urged drivers to exercise extreme caution, especially during festive periods. “We always advise the public to drive at a speed they can control. When you go above your capacity, accidents happen,” he stressed.
Family members, commercial drivers, and friends of the victims gathered at JJ Dossen Hospital throughout Tuesday, expressing shock and heartbreak over the tragedy, which occurred just hours after a major university celebration. Authorities say the investigation will continue as efforts to recover the submerged vehicle progress.