A man from Waldorf, Maryland, was arrested after a fatal pedestrian versus car accident late last month. The incident happened early on a Sunday morning after a 50-year-old driver allegedly hit a 23-year-old man who was walking across Coastal Highway in Ocean City.
Police say that alcohol was involved, and they arrested the 50-year-old man and charged him with drunk driving and other serious criminal violations connected to the young man’s death. According to police reports, the man was driving northbound down Coastal Highway. The pedestrian, who was not in a crosswalk, appears to have been in the road at the time of the incident.
Standersby came to the aid of the struck pedestrian by administering lifesaving efforts and those efforts were furthered by emergency responders; however, they were unable to keep the young man alive. He was later pronounced dead after being taken to a local hospital.
The driver was scheduled appear before the Maryland District Court Commissioner. As of last reports, authorities were holding him at the Ocean City Public Safety Building.
According to pedestrian accident statistics for the United States, 2016 represented the deadliest year on the books since 1996 for pedestrians. The total number of pedestrian deaths was 5,997 in 2016.
When someone dies in a car versus pedestrian crash, it is important to determine why, and whether the driver may have been at fault. This is important, not only so police can administer appropriate criminal punishments, but it is also important so that the deceased person’s family members can pursue wrongful death claims against the party or parties at fault for the crash.
Source: DelmarvaNow, “DUI, other charges in OC crash that killed pedestrian,” Ben Penserga, May 21, 2017