It’s been a year since my own hit-and-run, and it brought back some memories. It could have been so much worse:
A deadly hit-and-run multi-vehicle car accident along the Maryland border last week has resulted in the death of one woman. Five others were injured, and four vehicles damaged. Kim Moore, aged 50, of Bladensburg, Md., was driving her daughter and grandson to a church Halloween party on Saturday, October 29th, when she was rear-ended by a speeding car.
Moore was sitting in mid-afternoon traffic on Eastern Avenue near Division Avenue when a speeding Chrysler 300 hit her Honda Civic with enough force to send it spinning into traffic, where it crashed into two other parked cars.
The driver of the Chrysler, Timothy Johnson, of Seat Pleasant, Md., was not only driving above the speed limit at the time, but was also straddling the double yellow line immediately prior to the accident, according to witnesses.
The impact of the crash was so great that Johnson’s vehicle spun away from the Honda, colliding with another driver. The Chrysler went airborne and flipped onto its hood before finally skidding to a stop when it hit a pole on Division Avenue.
Johnson, who amazingly survived the crash without serious injuries, was extricated from his wrecked vehicle by first responders. He was helped to a curb to recover but fled the scene while they tended to the other victims, seeking to avoid police by hiding in the nearby woods.
Despite his attempts to escape facing responsibility for the deadly effects of his actions, he was tracked down by law enforcement relatively quickly and arrested. Although Johnson has been sent to the hospital to be treated for his injuries, he is expected to recover fully, and has been charged with involuntary manslaughter.
Christina Moore, aged 26, and 4-year-old Michael Moore, who was dressed in his Captain America Halloween costume, both survived the horrific accident. Although Christina suffered a broken femur and a dislocated shoulder, Michael managed to escape relatively unscathed.
Christina, who is still recovering from her injuries, recalls little about the accident itself, but is still reeling from the loss of her mother. Kim Moore, who was described as an “amazing person with a big heart,” tragically died at a local hospital due to the injuries she sustained in the crash.
Kim Moore was described by her friends and family as a loving wife, mother and grandmother, who doted on Michael, her first and only grandson. She had recently obtained a job at the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission call center, and loved to help others.
A vigil was held at the crash site in her remembrance on Saturday, November 5th, a week after the fatal accident occurred. As Kim Moore’s life insurance was not in effect at the time, her survivors are now faced with covering her final expenses out of pocket.
A gofundme page has been set up by the family to assist with funeral expenses and give Kim Moore a proper homegoing service. It is a testament to her memory that, in just over a week, the page has already raised nearly half its total goal of $10,000.
Clearwater personal injury attorney Peter Tragos commented, “This tragedy serves to illustrate the dangers of reckless driving and the need to remain vigilant against those who pose a clear and present danger to others on the road through their negligence.”
