Limerick woman jailed for hit-and-run

NORRISTOWN » A judge sent a Limerick woman directly to jail on charges she left the scene of a Norristown crash during which she struck and critically injured a pedestrian.

Samantha Dawn Walter, 22, of the 400 block of Township Line Road, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to seven to 23 months in the county jail after she pleaded guilty to a felony charge of accidents involving death or personal injury, essentially leaving the scene of a crash, in connection with an 8:56 p.m. Feb. 22, 2017, incident in the 1100 block of Markley Street in Norristown.

Common Pleas Court Judge Steven T. O’Neill rejected a defense request to allow Walter to

report to jail next month and ordered that she immediately be taken into custody by sheriff’s deputies to begin her jail term. The judge said Walter can be made eligible for work release after serving four months of the jail sentence.

O’Neill also ordered Walter to complete four years’ probation following parole, meaning she will be under court supervision for about six years.

Assistant District Attorney Kelli McGinnis argued for a jail sentence against Walter, pointing out Walter, three months after the February crash, while free on bail, was arrested for driving under the influence of a controlled substance in Royersford while she had a 1-year-old child in the vehicle.

“This is merely three months after nearly killing another human being. She didn’t change any behaviors afterward. It’s clear, here, there’s a complete disregard for the safety of others,” McGinnis argued. “There needs to be time in county jail where she needs to sit and think about this.”

Members of the 44-yearold hit-and-run victim’s family agreed with prosecutors. The victim’s uncle testified Walter’s second arrest indicated to the family that she didn’t learn a lesson and that some jail time was warranted.

“I think you need time in a county setting where you can’t get behind the wheel,” the victim’s uncle addressed Walter, adding the victim was once “a vibrant young man” but is still suffering from injuries he sustained during the hit-and-run.

Defense lawyer Aaron Kostyk asked the judge not to sentence Walter, the mother of a 2-year-old boy, to more than three months in jail. Kostyk argued Walter

has an “extensive history of substance abuse” and without being more specific, said she suffered “trauma” in her past.

“She realizes she made a mistake that day. The fact she hurt somebody that badly is something she will have to live with the rest of her life,” Kostyk argued on behalf of Walter.

Kostyk said Walter has pursued treatment for substance abuse and “knows she needs to make changes in her life.”

“There is a lot of remorse on my part. I have cried over this. I cried for the family and I cried for the victim. It was an accident,” Walter testified before learning her fate from the judge. “I’m trying to get my old life back.”

An investigation began when Norristown police were dispatched to the intersection of Markley Street and Harding Boulevard for a report that a pedestrian had been struck by a vehicle that left the scene. Arriving officers found an unconscious man lying in the street at the southwest corner of the intersection, according to a criminal complaint.

The victim was transported to an area hospital where he was diagnosed with bleeding in his brain and multiple fractures to his ribs and his leg, according to court papers.

Witnesses told police that a vehicle traveling southbound on Markley Street struck the man.

One witness traveling northbound on Markley Street made a U-turn and followed the striking vehicle and obtained the vehicle’s registration which she subsequently provided to police, according to the arrest affidavit. The witness observed the striking vehicle turn onto Elm Street and then proceed at a high rate of speed through some stop signs, detectives said.

Investigators traced the registration of the striking

vehicle, a purple Mitsubishi Eclipse, to Walter. When detectives went to Walter’s Limerick residence they learned that Walter was at her then boyfriend’s home in East Vincent, Chester County. When detectives went to the East Vincent residence they observed Walter’s car in the driveway.

“The vehicle had damage to include a shattered front windshield with a hole in it,” Norristown Detective Charles Leeds alleged in the arrest affidavit, adding Walter “appeared upset” when she encountered police outside the home.

Walter allegedly told police, “I’m scared. I didn’t know I hit someone.” A short time later, Walter stated, “I thought it was a deer” and “I had the green light,” according to the

criminal complaint.

When questioned further by detectives, Walter admitted traveling through the intersection and striking someone. Walter admitted she did not stop and continued driving her vehicle to her boyfriend’s home in East Vincent, according to the arrest affidavit.

Court papers indicate that three months after the February crash, at 2:12 a.m. on May 25, 2017, Walter was arrested for driving under the influence of a controlled substance in Royersford while she had a 1-year-old child in the vehicle. Police said the Mitsubishi Eclipse nearly struck a telephone pole at North Lewis Road and Church Street and that the passenger side tire was “metal on the street,” according to the arrest affidavit

filed by Royersford Police Officer Thomas Godin.

Police also noticed damage to the passenger side body of the vehicle, court papers indicate.

When police asked Walter to step out of her vehicle she was unsteady on her feet and she failed field sobriety tests. Police said “in plain view” on the driver side floor they observed a small plastic bag containing green botanical matter. Police also found pills identified as Xanax and clonazepam, which Walter was not licensed to possess, police alleged.

Walter was taken to a local hospital for a blood draw.

“While at the hospital Walter stated when driving she felt a bump at some point in time, thought she

hit something, was unsure and kept driving. Walter could not recall where that occurred,” Godin alleged.

In February, Walter pleaded guilty to charges of DUI, endangering the welfare of a child and recklessly endangering another person in connection with the Royersford incident and was sentenced to six days already served to six months in jail under a plea agreement. Walter also must complete 100 hours of community service and will be subject to random drug testing.

The judge said Walter will be under addict supervision while serving the sentence and will be immediately detained if, during random testing, she tests positive for substance abuse.