Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog
Two accused criminals have been charged in connection with a car crash that eventually led to the death of an elderly man. The accident occurred in late April in Northwest Baltimore when the two suspects allegedly fled police and subsequently hit the victim’s vehicle.
Based on police reports, 86-year-old Elbert Davis was driving his Chevrolet Monte Carlo at the time he was hit by the pair of fleeing suspects. The men, 29-year-old Umar Burley and 26-year-old Brent Matthews, were arrested following the accident. Davis and another elderly passenger were the only occupants of the Monte Carlo. Davis suffered a heart attack as a result of the crash and died later that day.
Police reports show that the plainclothes detectives who attempted to arrest the two suspects prior to the accident did not initiate any car chase, which police authorities said would be against department policy. News reports indicate that the detectives were driving in the general direction that the suspects had fled when they came upon the accident scene less than a mile away. According to reports, Davis was the father of a city police officer.
Police reports state that Detective Wayne Jenkins had pulled his unmarked vehicle in front of the suspects Acura as another detective, Sean Suiter, pulled in behind the car. As the detectives approached the suspects, Burley maneuvered his car away from the scene without striking the police vehicles and fled eastbound on Belle Avenue.
At the crash scene, detectives saw the Acura smoking and heavily damaged. Davis’ Monte Carlo reportedly had been pushed through hedges and onto the front yard of a home.
Davis was taken to Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where he was later pronounced dead. His passenger, 81-year-old Phosa Cain was listed in serious condition at the time of the news report. Burley was briefly taken to Sinai Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and was released.
Suspects in crash that killed man held without bond, BaltimoreSun.com, April 29, 2010