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Maryland pastor sentenced in hit-and-run crash that injured 6-year-old
A local reverend will spend time behind bars for a hit-and-run that left a 6-year-old boy with a broken leg. FOX 5's Stephanie Ramirez spoke to the child's mother.
WASHINGTON - A D.C. Superior Court Magistrate Judge ordered 64-year-old Reverend Samuel Holloway to 180 days behind bars with all but 45 suspended for the Oct. 4 hit-and-run that left a 6-year-old with a broken leg.
That’s about a month-and-half behind bars if Holloway behaves while in custody.
Holloway, who is a minister at the Beloved Community Church in Accokeek, Maryland, was also ordered to 18 months supervised probation after he serves his time.
He also has to undergo an alcohol and drug program, a traffic program, pay fees and he is not allowed to drive, as this is now his 3rd incident in a while without a permit in both D.C. and Maryland.
A neighborhood camera captured the 64-year-old plow into a Capitol Hill mother in the crosswalk with her two children and their family dog. It happened while it was daylight. The family entered the crosswalk on the driver’s side with no obstacles to that view, according to the judge.
Neighbors rushed to the family’s aid, getting Holloway to back up. A good Samaritan can be seen on video running toward Holloway’s vehicle, which appears to pull over.
However, the 64-year-old then takes off with the good Samaritan chasing after him.
Attorney seeks leniency for reverend accused in Capitol Hill hit-and-run that left family injured
The man accused in a hit-and-run that left a family injured in the Capitol Hill neighborhood is asking a judge to allow him to be released from jail, saying in a court filing that despite the "public impression" of a "callous and irresponsible driver," he is anything but.
The 6-year-old who was struck suffered a broken leg. The mother, who asked not to be named, also told FOX 5 that the family is coping with the sentence but also feels relieved. She says she still has several questions, including why the suspect was able to have an SUV with Virginia tags.
"You know it doesn’t feel good to know that somebody is going to jail. And he has apologized and all around, this situation is tough. I hope that this serves as a reminder for drivers in D.C. that, you know, there are consequences," the mother said.
Two pastors who work with Holloway spoke after court.
Beloved Community Church Co-Pastor, Reverend Paula Haul told FOX 5: "He has admitted his guilt, we’re moving forward … We’re praying for that family as well. And yes, there is a place for Rev. Holloway in our ministry, no doubt, because all of us have fallen short, right? That’s what the text said."
Her husband, Revered Samoris Hall, added, "I think that leading by example is doing what he did do – by turning himself in."
In court, the judge criticized Holloway for only turning himself in after police impounded the SUV and after hiring attorneys.
The 64-year-old’s attorney claimed Holloway has high blood pressure, wasn’t thinking straight, and apparently thought the good Samaritan running toward him was going to assault him.
In his statement expressing remorse, Holloway said, "I was scared, and I panicked."
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Reverend pleads guilty in hit-and-run crash that injured family
The man accused in a hit-and-run that left a family injured in the Capitol Hill neighborhood has pleaded guilty. Samuel Holloway, 64, hit a family of three and their dog on Oct. 4 and then fled the scene. He turned himself into police two weeks later.
The judge also told Holloway he is fortunate he did not receive a greater sentence that would’ve put him behind bars for years instead of the sentence he received on Thursday.
The judge said that Holloway could have faced an assault charge due to the 6-year-old’s injury and could have also faced assault with a dangerous weapon due to the use of the SUV.
FOX 5 reached out to D.C. police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to see what happened there. The D.C. Attorney General’s Office has jurisdiction over traffic violations.
Court documents show Holloway took a plea deal for leaving the scene, but the charge for no permit was dropped, according to the plea agreement. The 180-day sentence with suspension is the maximum amount Holloway could have faced for that charge.