Attorney seeks leniency for reverend accused in Capitol Hill hit-and-run that left family injured

WASHINGTON - 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 attorney for 64-year-old Samuel Holloway filed a motion for bail review Friday requesting that Holloway be released on his own recognizance. Holloway was charged with driving without a permit and leaving after colliding following the Oct. 4 crash, which was all caught on camera. 

The video shows that around 5:45 p.m. that day, a mother, her 10-year-old daughter, 6-year-old son, and dog were in the middle of the crosswalk at C and 12th Streets in Northeast when a dark-colored Nissan Armada accelerated and hit them. 

The 6-year-old was pinned under the tire of the SUV and was hospitalized with a fractured foot, according to his mother. Thankfully, they were all okay in the end but the whole incident left the family shaken.

"Having somebody hit you and your children and your dog and then take off is a very unsettling feeling. So I’m not exactly sure what possesses somebody to just flee the scene," she told FOX 5. 

In the video, the driver backs up slowly, following the commands of the mother and a neighbor who jumped in to help. The neighbor then directs the driver to pull over to the side past the intersection and at first it appears that’s what he was going to do but in a moment, he takes off. 

Police responded within minutes and tried to follow the SUV but the mother involved told FOX 5 the officer returned a short time later, saying D.C. police policy

Detectives continued to search for the driver until, two weeks later, they announced that Holloway had been arrested and charged. 

According to the newly released court filing, after he "regained his composure" and his "mental fog dissipated," Holloway chose to go to the police and report the accident. 

"The incident so mentally blinded and emotionally wounded Rev. Holloway that his body and spirit fell apart in the days after," the filing says. "Holloway reasoned that the only acceptable way to proceed herein was to turn himself in, albeit late, and submit to this court's jurisdiction." 

Holloway’s motion goes on to say that at the time of the accident, he had not eaten or taken his blood pressure medication. The document states that a "stressful day," "high blood pressure" and "mental confusion" following the crash, all contributed to Holloway’s "uncharacteristic, unacceptable and unreasonable flight response."

According to his attorney, Holloway is a member of the ministry at Beloved Community Church in Fort Washington, a community support worker for a healthcare company, and has also dedicated time to organizations focused on assisting communities with at-risk youth.

Multiple character statements and work references were included with the filing. The attorney asked that the judge release Holloway and imposed conditions that he must: 

• Complete a three-month driving safety course
• Pay all reasonable medical bills for the 6-year-old victim
• Complete 25 hours of community service
• Issue a public apology
• Pay all outstanding DMV monetary fees and penalties

The motion also states that Holloway is banned from driving for three months. 

After the crash, the mother involved told FOX 5 she was hoping the suspect would receive jail time after putting her family through the traumatizing experience. 

"I think the hardest part is going and replaying what happened over and over in my mind and thinking through what I could’ve done differently. So that plagues my thoughts," she said.