Pregnant Woman Nearly Struck as Driver Flees After Hitting Dog in Del Ray
A red sedan sped away from a crash that left a terrier with broken ribs and a woman eight months pregnant walking away from the scene.
By Beatriz Soto ·
Four other collisions have occurred at the same Del Ray intersection over the last decade, according to records obtained by NBC4 Washington. On Oct. 23, a red sedan added to that count when it struck a 3-year-old terrier named Asher on Commonwealth Avenue. The driver did not stop. The car sped away, nearly striking Amanda Trotenberg, who was walking the dog and is eight months pregnant.
Trotenberg described the moment as a blur of motion and fear. She watched the vehicle roll over Asher before it accelerated out of sight. The dog suffered three broken ribs, plus fractures to his leg and knee. Video from the veterinary emergency room shows Asher sitting in a cage, watching cartoons while wearing a cone. Trotenberg said she has not been able to shake the image of the crash.
“It was awful,” Trotenberg said. “It’s been keeping me up at night, it’s something I will never forget, that image in my head of watching a car hit my dog and roll over.”
The intersection has a history of trouble. In addition to the crash that injured Asher, three other incidents in the past ten years involved rear-end collisions. A fourth incident involved a car hitting a pedestrian. Trotenberg believes the geometry of the intersection contributes to the danger. She called for drivers to slow down and for local officials to examine safety measures.
“Calm down and drive slower,” she said. “You hit a dog, you nearly hit a pregnant woman. I think there’s a lot we can do to make that intersection safer, too.”
Asher, who was found abandoned and dehydrated on Ash Street two years ago, is recovering at home. He must wear a protective cone for several more weeks. Trotenberg plans to introduce him to her unborn child soon. She described him as an energetic companion who is ready to become a big brother.
Alexandria police have not yet responded to a request for surveillance footage from the night of the crash. Trotenberg is still searching for the driver, hoping to find the person behind the wheel.
