Baltimore County Police Officer Charged With DUI In Connection To Double Fatal Crash In Dundalk No Longer With Department
DUNDALK, Md. (WJZ) -- After a tragedy on a busy Dundalk road, families want answers about what happened. Police are investigating a double-fatal pedestrian crash involving a now former off-duty Baltimore County police officer who was charged with DUI-related offenses.
Handwritten notes, balloons, and candles were placed at the site of the crash to honor the memories of 21-year-old Berlynn Matthews and 34-year-old Joshua Day.
"My sister called me -- I guess it was about 7:30 in the morning -- that the police officers needed to talk to me," recalled Day's aunt, Wendy Edenton
Police said on Sunday around 2 a.m., a Subaru Legacy driving along North Point Boulevard in Dundalk hit Day, who was crossing the street. Shortly after that, Matthews saw him in the road and stopped to help. When she got out of her car, 24-year-old William Collazo-Brown, now identified as an off-duty police officer, hit both pedestrians on his motorcycle.
Police tell WJZ they don't know whether Day was killed by the driver of the Subaru Legacy or by the motorcyclist.
"Police are in the process of reviewing this case," said Joy Lepola, with Baltimore County Police. "As you might imagine, this is an extremely complex case which will take a great deal of investigating."
On Tuesday night police said Collazo-Brown was no longer with the department.
A friend of Matthews said it was characteristic for her to reach out and help others. Those who know Day well said he was very similar.
"He was a happy-go-lucky person, always helping out the neighbors," said Edenton.
"Really anybody is used to seeing him walk down the street and asking him for help, and everything, and when we're not seeing that anymore, it's a shock," said Day's neighbor and friend, Alexis Welzenbach.
Edenton said she's keeping Matthews and her family in her thoughts.
"My heart goes out to them," Edenton said. "She tried to get out and tried to save my nephew and she also got her life taken away."
Both families have created Go Fund Me pages to raise money for funeral expenses. If you would like to donate, we've provided the links below.
