Accident – Death – Obituary News :
Hit-and-Run Tragedy in Worcester County Leads to Man’s Sentencing
A Worcester County man has been sentenced for the tragic hit-and-run death of a woman in October of 2022. The incident occurred on Grays Corner Road, a quiet rural area in Worcester County, Maryland.
On October 6, 2022, troopers were called to Grays Corner Road for a report of a pedestrian hit by a vehicle. The victim, Terri Wattay, was found lying unresponsive in the grass beside the roadway. Wattay was flown to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where she tragically succumbed to her injuries.
During the investigation, police found a passenger side mirror and reflective side marker lying in the middle of the road. They eventually located a white Chevrolet Suburban parked in a nearby driveway, missing a side mirror and reflective marker. The driver, identified as 63-year-old Russell Kimball, admitted to driving home from a local diner earlier that evening and swerving to avoid hitting a dog in the roadway.
Kimball failed field sobriety tests, and a breath test revealed a blood alcohol content of .12. It was later discovered that Kimball had consumed six shots of vodka and two beers at the diner before getting behind the wheel of his vehicle.
Witnesses reported that Kimball knew he had hit a woman with his truck and attempted to persuade his roommate to lie about who was driving. Shockingly, it was determined that Wattay lay injured on the side of the road for at least 39 minutes while Kimball was at his residence, failing to call for help or render aid.
As a result of his actions, Kimball was convicted of negligent homicide while under the influence and failing to remain at the scene of an accident involving death. He was sentenced to 15 years behind bars, with all but 5 years suspended and 5 years of supervised probation upon release.
This tragic incident serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of drinking and driving, as well as the importance of taking responsibility for one’s actions on the road.
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