AAA Worker Killed While Helping Stranded Driver In Prince George's County
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A 69-year-old AAA worker died Tuesday night after he was hit by a Jeep in Prince George's County while offering roadside assistance to a stranded driver.
Paramedics pronounced the worker, Anthony Okozi of Upper Marlboro, dead at the scene, troopers said. No other injuries were reported.
The deadly crash happened about 11:15 p.m. along westbound Route 50 near Collington Road in Bowie, Maryland State Police said Wednesday morning.
Troopers said the AAA worker was parked behind a van straddling the left lane and left shoulder of Route 50 with its emergency lights on when the crash occurred.
The worker, who wore a reflective vest and had placed traffic cones nearby, was refueling a van when a Jeep Cherokee Laredo heading west on Route 50 swerved to avoid the AAA vehicle and struck him, troopers said.
Joseph Anderson, 21, was behind the wheel of the jeep. He remained at the site of the crash.
It was not immediately clear Wednesday whether there would be any charges resulting from the crash.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Okozi's children are devastated.
"My little sister called me," Okozi's daughter Latrice Earl said. "I was sleeping and she was hysterical on the phone, calling, and she said, 'The cops are here,' and that 'Daddy is dead.'"
In a statement Wednesday, AAA Mid-Atlantic said Okozi joined the motor club's Upper Marlboro fleet in June 2021 as a stopgap until his retirement.
"Our hearts go out to Anthony's loved ones as well as his AAA colleagues during this very difficult time. We will be forever grateful to Anthony and all first responders who have given their lives while helping others," said Kevin Micsko, vice president of fleet operations for the AAA Club Alliance.
AAA said Okozi's death highlight's the importance of Maryland's "Slow Down, Move Over" law requiring all drivers to change lanes to avoid first responders and service vehicles on the side of the road. Earlier this year, the Maryland General Assembly expanded the law to include all stranded vehicles, including those with hazard lights, road flares and other caution signals.
"Whether someone is fixing a tire or working on a tow, all motorists must slow down and move over a lane, if they can do so safely, to create more space for those working at the roadside. Their lives are on your shoulders," said Micsko.
Col. Kevin M. Anderson, chief of the Maryland Transportation Authority Police, that speed sometimes factors into avoidable collisions.
"You just need to slow down or move over and give space to those emergency workers working on the side of our highways," he said.
Roadside deaths recently prompted lawmakers to take action. Starting this October, Maryland's Move Over law is expanding.
"We're having tow truck operators killed. We're having police officers struck," Ragina Ali of AAA Mid-Atlantic said. "So, motorists really do need to slow down focus on the task of driving and obey the slow down and Move Over laws."