Mother Remembers Son Killed in Crash with Police Cruiser
posted 5:54 pm Wed December 12, 2007 - Bowie, Md.
Mary Gray was in a car following her son Brian about 7:15 a.m. Monday when the two vehicles collided at the intersection of Belair Drive and Beaverdale Lane in Bowie. "I know that my son had a stop sign, but I want to know that my son didn't have to die for making a left and misjudging... You can't kill someone going 25 miles per hour," Gray said.Prince George's County police say Brian Gray failed to yield the right of way to the cruiser. The officer's car smashed head-on into the driver's side of the victim's car. The officer was off-duty was not employing lights or sirens.
"I saw him stop, and he went to turn, and the next thing I know it was just like a flash before me, like this just can't be happening," said Gray.She rushed to help her son. "I just held his nose and kinda gave him a couple breaths, and he started breathing and he was gurgling," she said. "And I just kept holding him in my hand and saying, 'Don't die on me.'"
Mary Gray said her son had never been in an accident before and she questioned the police version of events. She also wondered whether the off-duty officer was speeding.
"There's no skid marks. When you try to stop, there's skid marks. To me, if (the off-duty officer) was going 25 (mph) and he was trying to stop, their two cars would have collided together, on the side - not straight on, with enough force to kill my son."
Prince George's Police are saying very little about the crash, other than that it is under investigation.
They have not released the off-duty officer's identity or an official statement, as of 6 p.m. Wednesday. But police spokesperson Diane Richardson did extend the department's sympathies, and promise a full investigation.
"Our hearts really go out to the family because I can only imagine - as a mother - what she felt when she saw this accident happen," said Corporal Richardson. "We have a team of investigators looking into this and they will forward their review and their findings to the State's Attorney's office."Gray's co-workers at T.J. Elliott's in Bowie are remembering the man who started five years ago as a busboy and worked his way up to assistant manager.
"He was a wonderful person, always making you laugh, always messing with everybody in the kitchen," said co-worker Shannon Hazard. "Every time you came to work, you knew you'd have a great time if Brian was here. He always had a smile on his face."
Gray's mother is still reeling from the loss of her son, who's main goal in life was to become a Prince George's County Police Officer.
"He loved me and I loved him. He was my whole life as soon as he was born. I didn't really care about anything else," Gray said. "If I could trade places with him, if I had driven out here first - I swear, I would it have been me than him. He had so much life to live."
Latest Comment on Mother Remembers Son Killed in Crash with Police Cruiser
freedomofinformationadvocate
9:25 am on 12/14/07
The Prince George's County Police have released the name of the police officer involved. It can be found on the web by doing a quick google search under "Brian C. Gray" for anyone who may be interested. They also said that the results of the investigation will determine further actions to be taken.
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