A recent Saturday afternoon in Hyattsville resulted in a tragic crash occurring near the entrance to a shopping center. As is sometimes the case in Maryland pedestrian accidents, excessive speed is thought to have been a factor in the collision. Two vehicles and a group of people waiting to cross a street were involved in the incident, which resulted in the loss of one life and injury to others.
Police say it was approximately 4 p.m. when a motorcyclist was traveling westbound on East-West Highway. The motorcycle appears to have crashed into an automobile that was attempting a left-hand into a shopping center parking lot. According to reports, the driver of the motorcycle was ejected from his seat upon impact.
The driver-less motorcycle is then said to have smashed into four nearby pedestrians who were preparing to cross the street. An adult male and three young children comprised the group, and all of them suffered injuries in the crash. Sadly, one of them, a 7-year-old, succumbed to his injuries after being transported to a hospital in the area. Two of the other victims have been reported in critical condition, and several others (including the motorcyclist) suffered non life-threatening injuries in the collision.
The recent crash remains under investigation. Reports indicate that preliminary findings suggest excessive speed on the part of the motorcyclist to be a main factor in the cause of the tragedy. Maryland pedestrian accidents that result in a child's death are sometimes brought before a civil court by a parent or legal guardian of the deceased child, who have the right to file a wrongful death claim on behalf of their son or daughter when an accident has been caused by the negligence or recklessness of another motorist. Personal injury claims may also be filed by any persons who suffer injury at the fault of another driver in order to seek compensation for damages sustained; parents or guardians may file injury claims on behalf of minor aged children.
Source: wbaltv.com, "Child dies, 2 others injured in a motorcycle crash", May 24, 2015
