Md. Man Goes to Prison After Traffic Run-In; Backed Up Over Woman

A Silver Spring, Maryland man, Hugo N. Campbell, has been sentenced to a term of three years in prison for reportedly assaulting a woman with his car following a traffic dispute in May 2005, United States Attorney Kenneth Wainstein announced.

Campbell, 23, was sentenced in D.C. Superior Court by the Honorable Wendell Gardner, Jr. Campbell pled guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon (automobile) in September 2005. The offense stemmed from a minor traffic accident leading to the complaining witness sustaining serious injuries as a result of being struck by a vehicle driven by the defendant.

According to the evidence presented in court, on May 20, 2005, at approximately 7:35 a.m., after a minor traffic accident involving the complaining witness’ Toyota Camry and the defendant’s Honda Accord, the defendant drove away from the scene without first speaking with the complaining witness.

The complaining witness followed the defendant’s car into the parking lot of St. Stephen Church, located in the 1500 block of Newton Street, NW. The defendant pulled into the rear of the parking lot and stopped. Moments later, the complaining witness pulled up and parked next to the Honda Accord. The complaining witness got out of her Camry and stood behind the Honda as she placed a 911 call on her cell phone.

While doing so, the defendant reportedly reversed his car, striking and knocking the complainant witness to the ground. The defendant then got out of his Honda, picked the complaining witness up and placed her on a parked car several feet away before returning to his car.

Meanwhile, the complaining witness crawled away from the parked car, back to the rear of the defendant’s Honda. The defendant again reportedly reversed the Honda and proceeded towards the parking lot’s exit at Newton Street, NW. The complaining witness was again struck by the Honda, this time pinned and dragged beneath the car as it traveled approximately 40 feet towards the exit. At the mouth of the parking lot, the defendant reportedly drove away from the area, leaving the complaining witness prone on the street.