A 70-year-old woman died after she was hit by two vehicles in Rockville, Maryland, Tuesday evening, authorities say. The fatal accident happened on a road known to some community members for speeding.
Teresa Moreno De Mejia, of Rockville, was crossing Veirs Mill Road at Atlantic Avenue when she was hit by a Toyota Supra and Toyota Prius headed east on Veirs Mill Road, according to the Montgomery County police. Officers were initially looked for a third vehicle and its driver, but later determined only two vehicles were involved.
First responders were called to the scene just before 7 p.m. The crash happened near the Twinbrook Shopping Center.
Mejia died at the scene. Her relatives told Telemundo 44 she was from El Salvador and was walking home when the cars hit her.
Video showed two vehicles at the scene of the crash. The black car had damage to the front end. A large part of one of the vehicles could be seen in the middle of the roadway.
The drivers of the two cars stayed at the scene, police said.
At a gas station across the street from the crash, people were upset to hear a woman was killed. One woman said it was “sad” and another made the sign of the cross.
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They also expressed concerns about the lighting on the road, drivers speeding and people who don’t use the crosswalk.
“When you’re coming down here at night, it’s really dark," a woman said.
“It’s an accident waiting to happen. You’ve got people speeding, jaywalking; nobody pays attention to what’s going on," another said.
Rockville City Councilmember Marissa Valeri, who recently took office, said she’s no stranger to the problems on Veirs Mill Road. She said speed has always been an issue for the area.
“Every time I hear the news about a pedestrian being hit or a bicyclist or even a really bad car collision, my heart drops into my knees," Valeri said.
The council could consider lowering the speed, but according to Valeri, Veirs Mill Road is technically a state highway. She added that the City of Rockville can’t do much without the Maryland State Highway Administration.
“But it doesn’t matter if it’s a residential street or a state highway. Everybody should feel safe walking in their community," Valeri said.
The Action Committee for Transit, a group dedicated to pedestrian and cyclist safety in Montgomery County, posted on X that 12 people have been killed on the stretch of road since 2015.
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