Maryland State Police Arrest Suspect In Fatal Prince George’s County Hit-And-Run Crash

(LAUREL, MD) – Maryland State Police last night arrested the person wanted in connection for a fatal hit-and-run crash that occurred Dec. 4 in Prince George’s County. 

The suspect, Lidia Parada Benitez, 63, of Baltimore, is charged with leaving the scene of an injury collision and failing to report a collision to police. She is currently being held at the Prince George’s County Detention Center pending an initial appearance before a District Court Commissioner.

Troopers arrested Benitez following a traffic stop at 5:54 p.m. Wednesday night at Hollins Ferry Road north of I-695 in Baltimore.  She was transported to the Maryland State Police College Park Barrack for processing before being transferred to the Prince George’s County Detention Center.

Shortly after 9:50 a.m. on Dec. 4, troopers from the Maryland State Police College Park Barrack responded to the area of southbound I-95 and the Intercounty Connector for a report of a pedestrian who had been struck on the road. According to a preliminary investigation, Ceasar Alfred Charles Burke, 23, of Columbia, Maryland, and a female were parked on the shoulder of the road and having a discussion outside of their vehicle. During the course of the conversation, the female, for unknown reasons, entered I-95 and Burke attempted to pull her back from the road.   While in the roadway, Burke was struck by Benitez, who was driving a Nissan Altima, according to investigators. She failed to remain at the scene.

A second vehicle, a Honda CRV, struck Burke, but that driver pulled over to the shoulder and called 911.  Investigators initially thought a tractor-trailer also struck Burke and left the scene, but that is no longer the case. Burke was declared deceased at the scene. The Maryland State Police Crash Team is leading the investigation into the incident. Anyone with information on the case is asked to contact the College Park Barrack at 301-345-3101. 

The case remains under investigation…

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CONTACT: Office of Media Communication, msp.media@maryland.gov