CROFTON, Md. — A Prince George’s County corrections officer was killed in a single-vehicle crash on New Year’s Eve — just hours after celebrating his retirement with colleagues.
Master Corporal John Raymond Nicholson, 57, died after his pickup truck veered off the roadway and struck a pole in Crofton, Anne Arundel County police told the Baltimore Banner. He was the sole occupant of the vehicle.
Police said the crash occurred around 7:40 p.m. on Dec. 31 near Crain Highway North and Defense Highway. Nicholson’s 2020 Dodge pickup left the road, crossed into the center lane and hit a pole. Anne Arundel County firefighters pronounced him dead at the scene.
Earlier that day, Nicholson had officially retired from the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections, where he served for more than two decades. The department confirmed he had been honored at a retirement celebration at the facility, where some retirees returned to see him off.
Known as “Big Nic” among coworkers, Nicholson joined the department on June 18, 2001, and retired at the rank of master corporal. During his career, he earned a Valor Award while serving on the Emergency Response Team, according to a department social media post.
In recent years, Nicholson was assigned to the reception area of the facility, where the department said he greeted staff and visitors daily, often helping set a positive tone at the start of the day.
The department said Nicholson “worked all over the facility” during his career and was well-known among staff across assignments.
The crash remains under investigation.
