Family wants safety changes at Howard County intersection where woman was struck, killed
ELKRIDGE - A family who lost a loved one in a crash late last year is fighting for additional pedestrian safety features to be placed along a section of Route 1 in Howard County.
Tanya Lilly, 48, was hit by two vehicles while crossing the roadway near the intersection of Doctor Patel Drive just before 6 a.m. on Dec. 29, 2023, according to police.
However, investigators said the second driver in a dark-colored passenger vehicle that struck Lilly left the scene before police arrived.
That person has yet to be identified by police.
Nearly two months later, the family wants to help others avoid the heartache of losing a loved one by asking the county and state for changes along the stretch of roadway.
Route 1 is maintained by the state through the Maryland Department of Transportation, according to its website.
"There needs to be more lighting," the victim's daughter, Brittany McCain, said. "I understand accidents happen but there's no speed limit posted on this main street. Again, the lighting. I feel as though since that's a residential area across the street, they should at least have a crosswalk somewhere. It's so dark at night."
"Nobody else should have to fear walking down the street," Lilly's cousin, Jen Peightal said. "There's not even sidewalks here for pedestrians."
Less than one month after the fatal pedestrian collision involving Lilly, Howard County Police confirmed a 22-year-old man was struck by a vehicle in the same vicinity on Jan. 25. However, the driver in this case remained at the scene.
The man was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
In 2015, a similar fatal pedestrian collision happened at the next closest easterly intersection of Route 1 from where Lilly died.
Denise Angela White, 33, from Baltimore, was walking in the roadway near U.S. 1 near Bonnie View Lane around 4:40 a.m. when two vehicles struck her, but only one driver stayed at the scene, according to Howard County Police.
WJZ sent an inquiry to MDOT and Howard County for comment about the request for additional lighting along that stretch of Route 1, however, did not immediately hear back Tuesday evening.
Anyone with information about the December 2023 deadly pedestrian collision should contact police at 410-313-STOP or HCPDcrimetips@howardcountymd.gov
