Hit and Run Accident with injuries in College Park, Maryland

So many innocent people are getting hurt and even killed by hit and run drivers. We need to step up and force police and insurance companies to investigate hit and run accidents and at least attempt to locate the ‘law breakers’.

On October 27, 2014, about 5:45 p.m., I was on my way to my sons (away) softball game at Northwestern High when I was in a hit and run accident on University Blvd westbound at Boteler Lane, just before Metzerott Road. I was at least 15 cars back at the red light at Metzerott Road when I got slammed in the rear of my van. I was dazed, confused when I got out to see what happened. The driver who hit me and her passenger both got out of her Silver Audi SUV with Virginia tags. She asked if I was okay and I said I wasn’t sure. She asked if I wanted to exchange insurance info and I said yes, especially since the back of my van was smashed and I was already starting to hurt from head to toe. I didn’t think of it at the time but her male passenger was picking the pieces of her vehicle up as she spoke with me. She asked if I wanted to pull over to the side of the road. In a daze, I said yes. There was traffic going around us on the left and the right so it was not safe to sit in the middle of the road.
I finally got to the left side in the turn area of Boteler Lane between East and Westbound University Blvd., out of the way and she was gone. I looked around and was shocked to not see the SUV.

When I was able, I pulled over to the right side of the roadway and made my way to the church parking lot on the corner of University Blvd. and Metzerott Road. It was there that a nice man helped me. My cell phones that were in the cup holder and the reading glasses that were on the top of my head were gone!! I was looking for my phone to call 911 but everything had been thrown around my van towards the back so I was unable to even call 911 at that point.

The nice man located my phone when it was ringing, despite being broken when it slammed into the seat motor underneath my seat. The Fire Chief of Branchville Volunteer Fire Company was calling me. I told him what happened and where I was and he said to calm down and he would be there and for me to call 911.

I called 911 in a hysterical pain stricken state and was finally able to tell the operator where I was. The fire chiefs wife, Amber, arrived on the scene first and took over. She is an EMT. She held my head/neck in place until Branchvilles ambulance crew could get the collar on my neck, me on to the backboard, stretcher and strapped/taped down. The Fire Chief and crew from the fire engine took care of everything with the Prince Georges County Police officer who was on the scene. Fire Chief Richard Leizear had also contacted my brother and advised him to come to the scene since I was being transported to Washington Adventist Hospital and my van was in the church driveway.

I am grateful for the wonderful care I received by the chief and crew of Branchville and the staff at Washington Adventist Hospital and my family for stepping in to take care of my 16 year old handi~capped son who by the grace of God was not with me, my van and my personal possessions that were tossed around so violently. If Joey would have been with me ... he would most likely have died at the scene. He has Epilepsy/Seizure Disorder and after 6 brain surgeries to remove the left side of his brain, and a massive stroke in his right brain, which left him with only 40% of his brain. That 40% would have been thrown around inside of his head and left him in a vegetative state or worse ... DEAD!!! I was also thankful that I did not have the 2 year old little girl that I watch sometimes!!

I am NOT grateful that the girl drove away from an accident with trauma injuries, and police not really wanting to attempt to track down the vehicle and/or driver, and my insurance company for just wanting to run it through my uninsured motorist part of my plan, leaving me to pay $250.00 deductible!! I am an innocent person!!! I did NOT do anything wrong!! But I had to pay $250.00 that I truly do NOT have to spare. I also have 2 broken cell phones, one of which does not work at all now.

It’s been 18 LONG days since the accident and I still have a concussion that has me dizzy and confused, a horrible headache, neck pain, back pains from neck all the way down, hip pain, knee pain and swollen, foot/ankle pain, abdominal pain, pelvic pain and pretty much most of my body was traumatized by being thrown forward and then backward. Yes, I always wear my seat belt or I might not be alive right now!!

I did not get the tag number because I was in excruciating pain and not thinking clearly due to my brain being traumatized.

Driver was female 18 - 22 years old (estimate). She was racially mixed with asian and I believe african american.

Passenger was a male 18 - 22 years old (estimate). He was either the same mix as her or a light skinned african american.

Vehicle: Shiny, possibly brand new Audi SUV, (most likely Q3 or Q5 with a slim chance of it being a Q7. Price of Audi SUV ranges from $32,000.00 - $80,000.00) silver in color, with front end damage, especially the mid to lower parts.

Tag: Virginia tag. The plain White tag with dark blue number and lettering. Maybe has 526 or S26, or 523, or S23, or 522, or S22 as part of the tag number. Police have my photos that show the imprint of the tag on my bumper. It would be best if the girl came forward before police, or ME, track her down. Wishing good luck to the PG Police in matching up the partial license plate numbers/letters to the Silver Audi SUV!!!

There can’t be many Silver Audi SUV’s with front end damage and Virginia license plates driving around in the MD/DC/VA area. Strong possibility that the driver and/or passenger attend University of Maryland!!! Maybe live on campus!!

These hit and run drivers need to be held responsible for the injuries and carnage they leave behind. There are people out there who witnessed the accident, and I would love to hear from you. There is also the girl who was driving, her passenger and most likely her parents who know of the accident or the damage to her Audi SUV!!! Please, please, I am begging for you to help me get the word out to find the girl and have the police make the girl and her family own up to her slamming me and then leaving me for dead and alone in the middle of the road!!!

Besides my trip to the hospital, I have been to my primary doctor, my Urologist/Gynacologist, and need to make appts. with a Neurologist, Neurosurgeon, Orthopedics, Eye Doctor, and Physical Therapist to see why I am still in so much back pain, neck pain, dizziness, ringing of the ears, hip pain, knee pain, and anxiety when I am driving or sitting at red lights.

I am a long time resident of College Park, the Mom of a University of MD Business School graduate, and now the Mom of a 2nd year student at University of MD.

God Bless You, and thank you for reading my story. If you have any info you can contact me at 240-426-1578 or email me at loralane20906@yahoo.com, and/or Prince Georges County Police Officer #3452 or #3209 at 301-699-2632.

Sandy Lora