Police remind drivers, pedestrians to be more alert after recent fatal accidents

SILVER SPRING, Md. - It has been a deadly 24 hours on the roads in our area. Three people have been killed in pedestrian accidents and one common theme for them is they are happening early in the morning or at night when it is dark outside.

Even though our day-to-day routines stay the same, the season is changing and police want to get the word out for both drivers and pedestrians to be on extra alert.

Neighbors were stunned to hear that Michelle Hoyah was hit and killed by a car early Thursday morning while crossing Route 29 just south of New Hampshire Avenue. The 18-year-old graduated from Richard Montgomery High School earlier this year.

Hoyah was hit by a Toyota Camry while crossing the street at around 6 a.m. The driver stayed on the scene.

Right now, investigators are trying to piece together how it happened.

"There is cut outs in the center median and along the curb line that could be indicative of a crosswalk if somebody wanted to cross," said Montgomery County Police Department spokesperson Rick Goodale. "But it's not marked with paint or sign and that's one of the things that detectives are looking at -- engineering issues. Time of day is obviously a factor."

Montgomery County police are also investigating another deadly crash that happened just hours earlier Wednesday night. Marge Wydro, a 95-year-old great-grandmother, was struck and killed by a car while crossing River Road at Springfield Drive in Bethesda at around 7 p.m.

We spoke with the victim's son who said at 95 years old, she was still very active and it was a terribly tragic for her to lose her life this way.

"She was on her way over to go to her bowling league that she does every Wednesday night and just didn't make it across the street this time," said Bill Wydro.

The driver in the River Road crash also stayed at the scene. Investigators have not determined the cause of the accident yet, but neighbors are concerned about speeding in that area as well as the dark.

The Maryland State Highway Administration said a service request has now been ordered to fix three streetlights that are out at that intersection.

At around 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday, there was a third deadly crash. Seventy-two-year-old Silvia Corella Erazo was hit by a car and killed while crossing Wiehle Avenue in Reston, Virginia. She was not in a crosswalk.

Daylight hours are getting shorter and we are coming up on the time change at the end of the month. Even though work and school schedules stay the same, police say these crashes are tragic reminders that people need to adjust.

Police are reminding drivers of the need to pay more attention and to not drive distracted. Pedestrians also need to be more aware as well, such as taking off those headphones while crossing the street.