PIKESVILLE, Md. — A quiet Saturday evening on Penny Lane turned into heartbreak when 64-year-old Stephen Jay Frank was crushed and killed beneath the SUV he owned and had just stepped out of.
Baltimore County Police say the tragedy unfolded around 8:00 p.m. November 29 in the normally peaceful 21209 neighborhood off Smith Avenue.
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Investigators believe Frank had parked his 2019 Honda CR-V along the curb, exited the driver’s seat, and walked behind the vehicle, possibly to retrieve something from the rear hatch.
For reasons still under investigation, the unoccupied SUV began rolling backward down a slight incline. Frank became trapped underneath and was dragged several feet before the vehicle came to rest on top of him.
Neighbors who heard screams rushed outside and frantically tried to lift the SUV while calling 911. Pikesville fire crews arrived within minutes and used hydraulic tools to free Frank, but despite aggressive CPR, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Mr. Frank was one of those neighbors everybody knew and loved,” said next-door resident Ellen Marcus, visibly shaken. “He’d wave every morning walking his little dog Max, always had a joke ready. This just feels impossible.”
Frank, a retired Social Security Administration employee and proud grandfather of four, had lived in the same split-level home for 35 years. Friends say he was a fixture at Greenspring Valley Synagogue and spent weekends fixing up classic cars in his garage.
Detectives from the Baltimore County Crash Team spent Sunday reconstructing the scene. Early findings point to a tragic mechanical or human error, possibly the parking brake not being fully engaged or the transmission left in neutral, rather than foul play.
The medical examiner will conduct an autopsy, but police have already classified the death as accidental.
Max the dog was found safe inside Frank’s home and is now staying with family.
A small memorial of flowers and a single Matchbox Honda CR-V now sits on the curb where Stephen took his last steps.
Rest easy, Steve. The whole block already misses your wave. 🕊️