Any death, especially a senseless one, is a tragedy no matter what the cause. There can be little argument about that. But the death of a young person who has yet to experience all that life has to offer, that is a tragic waste of life. Children who are hurt in automobile accidents or killed as a result of another individual’s negligence are certainly the most innocent of victims.
Here in the Baltimore area, as well as elsewhere across the state and even in Washington, D.C., it’s not difficult to see the aftermath of a car, truck or motorcycle accident without thinking of those injured in a serious traffic wreck. As Maryland personal injury lawyers, my firm is prepared to take up the fight for those who have been hurt in serious car or trucking-related accidents. When we see a child or young adult whose life has been unalterably changed, our sympathies go out to the entire family.
Of course, the legal aspects of a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit tend to be less compassionate than the thoughts and well-wishes of friends and relatives of the victims. Nevertheless, the law provides those injured by the negligent acts of another to sue for damages in hopes that in some small way the victims and their families can be made whole, or at least be given a fighting chance for a normal life after a tragic accident.
We are reminded every week of the sad state of affairs that many individuals experience having been involved in an injury accident of one kind or another. A while back, we ran across a news item that pointed up the inequities that fate can dole out for many victims of automobile accidents and their families.
According to news reports, a 22-year-old mother died in a late-night West Baltimore car crash when another driver, who was fleeing police, ran a red light at the intersection of W. North Ave. and Poplar Grove St., T-boning the vehicle in which the victim was riding. Compounding the tragedy, the woman’s baby daughter, also riding in the car at that time, was injured in the Monday night wreck. Surprisingly, many of the mourners who knew the woman, as well as the driver of the car that killed her, were apparently more upset that police may have exacerbated the situation by pursuing the suspect instead of breaking off the chase prior to the deadly collision.
Based on news articles, the local man, who police identified as Charles Jeffries, was observed by a police patrol driving in an erratic manner along a stretch of road at the 1700 block of Hilton Street. The patrolman followed the driver, who then reportedly fled from the officer. The entire chase spanned only five blocks before the suspect’s car struck the vehicle carrying the victim, Jordasha Rollins, her 39-year-old mother, and the victim’s baby daughter.
Rollins, who was riding in the passenger seat when the vehicles collided, died from internal bleeding. Fortunately for the little girl, she was in a car seat behind the driver at the time of the impact and likely survived because of it. The driver received a broken arm and the baby had what news articles described as minor injuries, though one witness said that they saw the baby at the hospital wearing a neck brace as a precautionary measure.
At the time of the news article, the suspect had yet to be charged with any violations since the police investigation was still ongoing. Police had not released any more details regarding the crash, including police radio transmissions and footage from the pursuit vehicle’s dash camera.
Woman, 22, killed in crash with man eluding police in W. Baltimore, BaltimoreSun.com, April 17, 2012