Supporters of the mother whose son was killed by a state trooper?s speeding cruiser last year plan to rally Monday to demand criminal charges against the trooper.
Jeanne Blizzard discovered last week that prosecutors had decided in May not to bring charges against Maryland State Police Trooper Dale Derr. The trooper?s cruiser hit Randy Rakes on the shoulder while traveling 83 mph in a 55-mph zone on Route 140 in Finksburg near midnight Nov. 28.
Blizzard expressed disbelief that the Frederick State?s Attorney?s Office decided against pressing criminal charges.
“I don?t know how they can say there?s not enough evidence,” she said.
“I?m not out to crucify this man. The thing that scares me so much is the cover-up.”
Blizzard, who began planning the rally this week, said she?s heard from several churches whose members plan to attend. “It?s funny because I walk into people who don?t even know me, and they say, ?I hope you get something,? ” Blizzard said. “It?s like a last-ditch effort.”
A police statement released the day after the incident said Derr had been on his way to assist a fellow trooper on a burglary call but was driving in a “routine matter,” so sirens were turned off.
But a crash team investigation, completed in December but received by Blizzard last month, showed that Derr had been off duty for an hour at the time of the crash and was on his way to the Westminster barracks to file paperwork. The investigation also found the cruiser was traveling nearly 30 mph over the limit and its tire was several inches onto the shoulder when it hit Rakes.
Blizzard filed a $15.8 million civil suit in March against the state police. She also asked Carroll prosecutors last week to bring criminal charges of vehicular manslaughter and excessive speed against Derr.
Carroll prosecutors had transferred the case to Frederick County to avoid the perception of a conflict of interest.
