Crime & Safety
Aberdeen Woman Charged in Fiery Hatem Bridge Crash
The driver crashed into the bridge and her vehicle caught on fire Sunday night between Havre de Grace and Perryville.
An Aberdeen woman has been charged in a fiery crash that shut down half of the Hatem Bridge Sunday night, police said.
A 2003 Dodge van ran into the barrier that separates eastbound and westbound traffic on the bridge at about 10:37 p.m. Sunday, said Sergeant Jonathan Green of the Maryland Transportation Authority Police.
The vehicle caught fire as a result of the crash, according to Green.
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The driver—Patty Wynette Walker, 29, of Aberdeen—got out safely and was not injured, he said.
Walker was charged with five offenses, according to Green, including driving while under the influence of alcohol. He also said her driver's license was suspended, she was driving at a speed "greater than was reasonable and prudent" and was charged with reckless and negligent driving.
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Lanes on the westbound side of the Hatem Bridge (US Route 40 heading into Havre de Grace) were closed for approximately 30 minutes Sunday as police and fire officials cleared the scene, Green said.
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