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More pedestrians fall victim to accidents
Last month, two more pedestrians in the Langley Park area
were struck by vehicles.
On May 9 at 12:50 p.m., a Hyattsville man was struck by
a northbound car while he attempted to cross the 7600 block
of New Hampshire Avenue.
Investigators believe he was running through heavy traffic
across six lanes, about 50 feet away from the nearest crosswalk,
when he collided with the front bumper of a car driven by
a Takoma Park woman. The motorist remained at the scene
and reported the accident to authorities. The pedestrian
was transported by county ambulance to a medical facility,
where he was later reported in stable condition.
On the morning of May 29, seven-year-old Yesenia Vasquez
was killed by a westbound Toyota Corolla which drove onto
the median of the 1400 block of University Boulevard, where
Yesenia stood with her mother.
Yesenia was transported to ChildrenÕs Hospital, where she
was later pronounced dead. Her mother was not injured.
Several nearby Prince GeorgeÕs County Police officers witnessed
the driver, identified as 32-year-old Timoteo Morales of
Langley Park, hit Yesenia, cross into oncoming traffic,
then enter the parking lot of La Union Mall. An officer
stopped the vehicle by driving his cruiser into MoralesÕs
path. Morales was charged with leaving the scene of an accident
involving death and driving without a license.
In August of last year, CASA of Maryland released a report
entitled, Pedestrian Safety in Crisis: Latino Deaths
on the International Corridor. In the report, CASA
urged the State of Maryland to take the lead in implementing
recommendations to reduce risk and improve safety. The report
was prompted by the growing number of accidents involving
pedestrians in the International Corridor. Seven pedestrians,
including two children, were killed over a 14-month period
in the area, with a disproportionate number of Latino victims.
At the time, Transportation Secretary Robert L. Flanagan
responded, ÒThe safety of our citizens is a top priority
for Governor Ehrlich.
ÒIn the opening days of his administration, he demonstrated
this commitment by earmarking $1 million to improve pedestrian
safety along the International Corridor. But this $1 million
is not the end of our effort. It is the beginning. We are
moving aggressively to make vital safety improvements in
the short term while continuing to move other major improvements
through the funding and construction pipeline. Together,
we will make a difference.Ó
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