The death is the 11th pedestrian fatality in the county this year, the highest number in more than five years.
Two young men also suffered injuries in the wreck that claimed the life of Linda Lee Henschen, 64, of Chestertown. She is the third pedestrian to be killed in Anne Arundel in the past two weeks.
Police said Henschen was driving a 2007 Honda Odyssey on Ritchie Highway when she was involved in a minor crash with a 2008 Volvo...
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Relief - 2010-03-08 22:53:26
I had a headache THIS BIG! But I took Kratovil and I feel much better.
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Salvatorre Bagatelli - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Good
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Kratovil - 2010-03-08 22:09:29
I voted for Kratovil and that's a vote I'll regret.
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William Heidecker - SEVERN, MD - Karma: Excellent
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I agree - PAY ATTENTION! - 2009-12-03 18:38:16
An 18-yr old ran into someone stopped at a red light- apparently at a high speed because he was seriously injured, too. In order to do something like this, you have to be distracted as Tyler suggests. It has nothing to do with police presence, merge lanes (Arnold merge lane is well south of this intersection), tailgating, or anything else. If someone rams into a parked car at a high speed, people will die. Sadly, the same thing happened at this intersection going southbound when a drunk ran into a car at the stoplight.
It has everything to do with people paying attention to their driving. More police, more lanes, less lanes, more lights, slower speed limits - none of this matters if a driver is not paying attention to his driving!
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Susan Taylor - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral
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Bad location - 2009-12-03 10:56:47
I drive this location daily at about 3:05 when school lets out at the Church. There must be an accident monthly caused by people exiting the church onto Ritchie Hwy because they wish to avoid the quick light at the Cypress creek church parking lot exit.
Everyday I see parents take extreme risks pulling out in fromt of traffic to get into the leftmost lane on Ritchie Hwy (crossing 3 lanes of traffic) to get to the turn lane. Often traffic comes to a screeching halt and regardless of spacing and tailgating or not there are accidents.
I'm not saying that this is what caused the first accident, and obviously not the second, but this intersection with both the garden center and church exiting onto Ritchie highway just before the traffic light is a dangerous area.
I'm saddend but not surprised to hear of a fatality at this location. It was only a matter of time.
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K Alfini - Severna Park, MD - Karma: Neutral
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Poor Driving - 2009-12-02 21:49:53
I agree tailgaters and people a high % of accidents. When you get one of these idiots on your bumper on some of these narrow country roads you are at their Mercy...just make it a point to slow down TO THE SPEED LIMIT, not below it...and take your time. The idiot may be blowing his horn, but he is not driving your car. As for pedistrians, someone has told them they ALWAYS have the right of way on roads that were built for cars. They challenge oncoming traffic by stepping right out into it without so much as slowing down, stopping, and looking both ways....vehicle has a green light, tough......they could care less.....and don't get me started about the dark & rain they dart in front of you in. Squirrel Brains....that's what they are.
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Mary Anderson - Harwood, MD - Karma: Excellent
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Prosecuted - 2009-12-02 14:45:49
Actually Fred people have been killed in Md. due too poor driving by other people.But as usual these poor drivers get off with maybe a fine and probation.Especially in AA county.Heck in AA county you can run someone over and walk away.As for drivers that have killed people because of poor driving.Two come to mind.The car swerving in front of the truck on bay bridge.And the fedex truck plowing into all those cars on 97.An innocent person was killed in both those wrecks.
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robert moe - pasadena, md - Karma: Terrible
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Comment disabled due to community reporting. - 2009-12-02 12:33:01
Why is this comment hidden?
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pay attention - 2009-12-02 09:48:07
The '96 Jeep driver was clearly distracted. Whether it was rubber-necking to see the initial minor wreck or texting or yapping to someone while holding a cell to his/her ear - the buffer zone that Rob referred to evaporated and this tragedy occurred. Accidents happen when a deer runs into your car or a tree falls in your path. Wrecks happen due to driver error. This was no accident - just a moron who can't grasp the concept of team driving to keep everyone safe on the road. Pay attention to your own environment, keep a buffer zone adequate to compensate for weather and put down the bloody cell phones. We shouldn't have to rely on police presence to keep our roads safe - but as the previous posts mention, unfortunately we do. One more thing...when your car breaks down or is inoperable for any reason anywhere near the road - get away from it and don't sit or stand in a projected path should someone (aka a '96 Jeep) come plowing through. So many people sit in their broken down vehicle. Get out of the car and move to safe spot.
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Tyler Johnson - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Excellent
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PEOPLE caused the crash! - 2009-12-02 08:41:31
The typical Maryland driver is what caused the crash! A bunch of morons who are, as usual, in a big hurry, speeding and tailgating! When's the last time someone was prosecuted for reckless driving for TAILGATING!!! It doesn't happen until someone gets injured or killed!
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Fred Bralman - Arnold, Md - Karma: Neutral
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Tailgaters - 2009-12-02 08:37:39
The participation in tailgating on this road is 99%. Eliminate tailgating and you eliminate 75% of accidents. When will people learn that the proper spacing between cars does not slow a trip down, just makes it safer.
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Rob Marcus - Riva, MD - Karma: Excellent
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Road fatality - 2009-12-01 22:23:55
The morons we have elected wrongly decided that money could be saved by reducing AAPD staffing. There are fewer police officers to respond to calls and even fewer that can be assigned to monitor traffic and enforce laws. As a result, anarchy rules. Stop signs and red lights are optional. Yield signs are a joke. The speed limit is whatever drivers choose it to be. Combine that with the fact that, as a society, we are becoming more and more uncivil and more and more aggressive. The carnage on the highways will continue to get worse until the police can establish a presence on the roads and start enforcing the laws.
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William Heidecker - SEVERN, MD - Karma: Excellent
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I agree with you Joe - 2009-12-01 20:03:24
There does need to be more of a police presence on Ritchie extending from the Safeway in Arnold down to Giant in SP. I commute daily between these areas (work in Annapolis) and constantly deal with people cutting me off. Also people turning right from College Parkway onto Ritchie often completely ignore there yield sign and keep going into oncoming traffic. but if you drive all the way in the left you always have some on your tail wanting to go almost 70. it is nerve racking no matter which lane you drive in!!
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Barbara Watkins - Severna Park, MD - Karma: Terrible
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People need to slow down on ritchie - 2009-12-01 16:40:29
That road is awful. Half the time you are defending against someone flooring it in the lane next to you to cut you off when it narrows over and over again. The other half you are forced into riding everyone bumper to bumper in order to not get cut off constantly. It would be so easy to pick so many people off. County police just need to sit at the safeway and bust anyone that doesnt turn right at safeway. Likewise there could be some other types of traffic calming like forced turn lanes as opposed to optional ones.
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Joe McCorkell - Annapolis, Md - Karma: Good
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Road fatality - 2009-12-01 16:12:50
The article states: "Though rain showers were reported in the area, it is unknown if slick roads caused the initial crash or the pedestrian-involved collision."
Roads, even when slick, are inanimate and cannot cause anything. Perhaps they can contribute to an accident happening because the drivers were at fault and did not drive for the road conditions. My sympathies to the deceased's family.
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Mary Felter - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Good
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