Maryland State Police are continuing their investigation into a pedestrian fatal that occurred in the early morning of May 25 in Caroline County when a sheriffs patrol unit, responding to back up local police who were stopping suspects in a shooting, struck an Eastern Shore man crossing the street.
The pedestrian was identified as Samuel A. Welsh, III, 51, of Greensboro. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the Caroline County Sheriffs Office marked Ford Crown Victoria is identified as Corporal James Henning, 32. Riding with him was Deputy First Class Daniel Christopher, 32, also of the Sheriffs Office.
Both men were flown by State Police helicopter to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center where they were treated and released several hours later.
Shortly after 12 a.m., deputies from the Caroline County Sheriffs Office were called to Walkers Trailer Park in Marydel, to investigate a shooting that had just occurred. Deputies gave a lookout for four men believed to be armed, who were operating a minivan.
About 15 minutes after the lookout was given, a Ridgely Police Department officer was talking with an off-duty Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police officer when they saw the suspect vehicle passing through the town. Both officers pursued the van and requested backup from area police departments.
State Police in Easton broadcasted the request for backup. Troopers responded to the area, as did deputies from the Caroline County Sheriffs Office. Corporal Henning was in the Marydel area when he heard the backup request. He activated his emergency equipment and responded to Ridgely.
Just after 12:30 a.m., as Corporal Henning drove westbound through the town of Ridgely on 6th Street his vehicle struck Welsh, who was crossing the street. Emergency personnel were immediately summoned to the scene, but found that Welsh was already deceased.
The scene was about one mile from where police stopped the armed suspects and took them into custody.
Caroline County Sheriff Phillip Brown requested that Maryland State Police conduct the traffic investigation, which is being handled by troopers from the Easton Barracks and the State Police CRASH Team.
The preliminary investigation indicates that pedestrian error was a factor.
Welsh was a member of a band that had been playing at an establishment in Ridgely. He apparently carried a piece of equipment across the street to his vehicle and was returning to the establishment when he crossed in front of the approaching police vehicle.
The investigation is continuing.