Time To Slow It Down
Statement of Prince George’s County Council Member At-Large Mel Franklin on the Tragic Deaths of Three Young Children on Indian Head Highway
By Mel Franklin
We are discussing legislation of new safety measures to protect travelers on Maryland Highway 210 (MD 210), aka Indian Head Highway, in the wake of the tragic fatal car crash earlier this week that claimed the lives of Alexander Mejia (age 5), his twin sister Rosalie Mejia, and the twins' 1-year-old brother Isaac Mejia. Their parents, Alexis and Juanita Mejia, were injured in the accident in which their vehicle was rear-ended by a truck.
The driver of the truck believed to have caused the accident is suspected to have been traveling at a high rate of speed and under the influence of alcohol and/or driving while distracted. Today, Prince George’s County Council Member At-Large Mel Franklin (D-Upper Marlboro) issued the following statement:
Mel Franklin
“The hearts of our county pour out for the Mejia family. Nothing can be worse for two parents than the loss of their children, especially at such a young age. Our thoughts and prayers are truly with Alexis and Juanita for this devastating loss and we pray for their speedy recovery.”
“Indian Head Highway has long been a dangerous road and speeding has been a contributing cause of many fatal accidents over the years. Last legislative session in the Maryland General Assembly, state leaders approved allowing a maximum of only one speed camera on this long and highly traveled roadway. That policy, while appreciated, is totally inadequate. I strongly urge the General Assembly to remove the limitations on the Prince George’s Police Department’s authority to place speed cameras as needed on this dangerous roadway, so that we do our part to better protect our residents and save lives. I urge them to pass PG 305-19, legislation proposed by Delegate Kris Valderrama (D-District 26) to remove the limitation on the placement of southbound speed cameras at intersections on Indian Head Highway in Prince George’s County, without weakening the bill. We should do all that we can to prevent another family from losing their lives, especially the lives of their precious children.”
A copy of PG 305-19 can be found here.
