Esmeralda Montoya-Perez Obituary, Death;- A 33-year-old woman from Riverdale, Maryland, has been named as the pedestrian who was fatally struck by a driver who fled from an attempted traffic stop on Friday night, according to authorities.
This week, the Hyattsville Police Department, along with the Independent Investigations Division of the Maryland Attorney General’s Office, released the identities of those involved in the tragic incident that occurred in Chillum, Maryland.
The driver, identified as 23-year-old Warren Leonard from Washington, was apprehended at the scene after colliding with Esmeralda Montoya-Perez in the 2200 block of East-West Highway, where she was pronounced dead. Prior to the incident, Pvt. Carlos Flores, a one-year veteran of the Hyattsville Police Department, had attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Leonard’s Lincoln sedan.
Authorities reported that Leonard had an outstanding warrant for second-degree rape. He was also found in possession of a handgun equipped with an extended magazine and was charged with firearm possession. Thomas Mooney, Leonard’s attorney, refrained from commenting but noted that the charges pertain to separate incidents.
Preliminary investigations indicate that around 10:15 p.m. on Friday, Flores attempted to stop the sedan driven by Leonard in the 3300 block of East-West Highway. Although Leonard initially halted his vehicle, he subsequently fled westbound, as stated by the attorney general’s office.
Hyattsville police and the attorney general’s office reported that Flores briefly pursued Leonard but discontinued the chase as both vehicles approached the intersection of East-West Highway and 23rd Avenue, just outside the city limits.
Leonard then drove through the intersection, accelerated onto the highway shoulder, and struck Montoya-Perez, who was on the side of the road, according to the attorney general’s office. Flores arrived at the crash site shortly thereafter. Leonard was transported to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.
Police confirmed that Flores was equipped with a body camera and that his cruiser was fitted with a dashboard camera, both of which were operational at the time and are integral to the ongoing investigation. Prior to his service with the Hyattsville Police Department, Flores had four years of experience in law enforcement.
The post Esmeralda Montoya-Perez Obituary, Death; Maryland AG’s office ID’s pedestrian killed by driver fleeing police first appeared on Enegxi News – News As It’s Happening.
