Seven children ages 12 to 15 were inside the stolen Kia when it collided with the Virginia man’s car, police said.
GERMANTOWN, MD — A 58-year-old Virginia father of five was killed when a stolen car driven by a 13-year-old boy collided with his vehicle early Aug. 4 in Montgomery County, according to police.
William Vance Payne II was driving a 2007 Toyota Matrix when it was struck at the intersection of Clopper Road and Great Seneca Highway at about 5:25 a.m., Montgomery County police said. Investigators said the other vehicle was a white 2015 Kia Optima carrying seven children between the ages of 12 and 15. Payne was pronounced dead at the scene. All seven children were taken to hospitals.
Police said their preliminary investigation determined that the Kia entered the intersection and struck Payne’s Toyota as it traveled on Clopper Road. Investigators later determined that a 13-year-old boy had been driving the Kia. The other occupants included six children ranging from 12 to 15 years old. None of the seven was old enough to legally drive, police said.
The Kia was reported stolen from a residence in Germantown several hours after the collision, according to police. Authorities have not publicly identified the children because they are minors. The 13-year-old driver was initially described as being in critical but stable condition. The other children were also transported to area trauma centers, though authorities did not immediately provide detailed updates on all of their conditions.
Payne lived in Virginia and was traveling to his job at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg when the crash occurred, according to reporting based on statements from his family and employer. He had worked at NIST for 29 years and most recently served as a mechanical engineer in the agency’s Engineering Laboratory, Building Energy and Environment Division.
NIST said Payne’s research focused on improving the reliability, safety and efficiency of residential heat pumps and air-conditioning systems. His family described him as a devoted father, husband and friend. His wife, Lisa Payne, said those close to him knew him as Vance and remembered him for his kindness and generosity.
The crash drew wider attention because of the ages of the children in the stolen vehicle and questions about how any resulting case would proceed through Maryland’s juvenile justice system. Police have not publicly accused the other children in the Kia of causing the collision, and their presence in the vehicle does not by itself establish criminal responsibility.
Any decision about possible charges would depend on the completed investigation and review by appropriate prosecutors. Because the suspected driver is 13, juvenile law could affect how the case is handled. Legal experts interviewed by local news organizations said the age of a child accused of an offense can significantly affect which court procedures are available, but authorities had not announced a final charging decision in reports reviewed through Aug. 10.
Montgomery County police said the department’s Collision Reconstruction Unit is investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash. Investigators are working to establish the sequence of events before the collision, including the circumstances surrounding the theft of the Kia. Authorities have not publicly released a final reconstruction or announced findings establishing criminal liability.
The collision left Payne’s family mourning a husband and father who had spent nearly three decades working at NIST. His death also left investigators with questions about how the stolen Kia came to be occupied by seven children and what happened before it entered the Germantown intersection. The police investigation remained ongoing, with any potential charges dependent on its findings and subsequent legal review.
Author note: Last updated August 10, 2026.