The mother of a pedestrian who was badly injured while crossing Rockville Pike on Friday night is urging anybody who might have witnessed the incident to come forward with information that could lead police to the driver.
Montgomery County Police say Michelle Eyre De Sam, 35, of the 9200 block of Cedar Lane was crossing Rockville Pike in the crosswalk at Cedar Lane when she was struck by a car at about 9:30 p.m. last Friday. The driver fled the scene, police said. A resident driving on Rockville Pike saw an unconscious De Sam in the roadway and called police.
De Sam is still in the intensive care unit at a local hospital with brain injuries, fractured bones in her face and shoulder injuries, her mother Carmen Todd said today.
“You don’t see someone and leave them in the road to die like a dog, you don’t even do that to a dog,” said Todd, who like Montgomery County Police is hoping anybody who witnessed the incident will step forward with information about the driver. “This is just unbelievable. But as soon as people can get away with it, they’ll continue to. They aren’t thinking about another person or a human being that may be dying.”
Todd said her daughter has been living in Bethesda for four years. Doctors told the family De Sam was improving yesterday. She can recognize family and friends but doesn’t have a clear idea of what happened or why she’s in the hospital, Todd said.
Officer Rebecca Innocenti, a police spokesperson, said police are looking for anybody who was around the area of Cedar Lane and Rockville Pike to call if they saw something suspicious. Police are also hoping for any tips, perhaps even a car at a local body shop that had damage to its front or sides.
Anybody with information can call 301-279-8000. Those who wish to remain anonymous may call Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477) or leave a Crime Solvers tip here. Crime Solvers will pay a cash reward of up to $10,000 for information provided to them that leads to an arrest and/or indictment in this felony crime.
