Bladensburg police said Monday the driver involved in the hit-and-run crash at the birthday party was 66-year-old Sunday Joseph, who lives in D.C.
A 66-year-old man is in custody Monday after police say he crashed his vehicle into a child’s birthday party Saturday night in Bladensburg, Maryland, killing one woman and injuring 13 other people, including 8 children.
Sunday Joseph, 66, who lives in D.C. has been arrested and charged in Saturday’s hit-and-run crash, police announced during a news conference early Monday.
Joseph is facing charges including manslaughter by vehicle and failure to remain at the scene of an accident where a death happened, according to Bladensburg police.
On Sunday, police identified the woman who died as 31-year-old Ashley Gutierrez, of D.C.
The crash was reported just after 10 p.m. Saturday at a home close to the intersection of 56th Avenue and Maryland Route 450/Annapolis Road.
“The collision occurred in the front yard of a residence where several adults and children were gathered for a child’s birthday party,” acting Police Chief Daniel Frishkorn said. “The striking vehicle, which was a passenger vehicle, was traveling in reverse from the area of Annapolis Road when it entered into the residential property and drove through a tent that was in place for the birthday party.”
Eleven people had to be taken to the hospital. As of Monday morning, one child and two adults were still in area hospitals being treated. Frishkorn said Joseph fled on foot, leaving people pinned underneath his vehicle.
“Officers assisted some of the victims in lifting the vehicle to free other victims who were struck,” he said.
“The investigation will determine if the accident was alcohol related and if speed was a factor,” Frishkorn added. “We currently have some witness information that both of those may have been a factor. However, additional investigation will determine if that’s the case.”
Joseph contacted police around 8 a.m. Sunday, more than nine hours after the crash happened.
He was taken into custody at around 11:30 a.m. in connection to the crash, which police believe was accidental.
“He’s been cooperative so far in the investigation,” Frishkorn said, ahead of the arrest. “So hopefully, once the charges are issued, I would hope that he continues to be cooperative and turn himself in.”
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John Domen
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