Driver arrested for fatal auto crash
Fairfax County Police on Dec. 19 arrested the driver who struck another car last May, killing Gladis Suyapa Deras, in the 3700 block of S. George Mason Drive in Bailey’s Crossroads.
The Prince George’s County Sheriff’s Office assisted detectives from the FCPS Fugitive Track and Apprehension Squad with the arrest of Tewodros Worku, 35, of Maryland.
Worku will be extradited back to Fairfax County, where warrants for DUI manslaughter and felony hit and run will be served and a date for trial will be set.
Deras, 54, of Falls Church, was a passenger in a 2016 Volkswagen Jetta traveling southbound on S. George Mason Drive attempting to turn left into Skyline Plaza on May 24 shortly after 2 a.m. when it was struck by a 2018 Honda Accord.
The Accord was traveling northbound when it struck the Jetta on the passenger side. Deras was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the Jetta, an adult male, was taken to the hospital for injuries not considered life-threatening.
The two occupants in the Accord ran from the scene. When they were caught by FCPD K9 officers. Worku claimed he was a passenger.
Following the crash, police determined Worku was the driver and that alcohol and speed appeared to be factors in the crash.
Pat, I’d like to solve the puzzle
I am relived and finally feel at peace that justice was able to be made Gladis suyapa was my godmother my aunt and my loved family member her husband had just picked her up from work from with complicated work hours she was not allowed to leave early she was the most kindest most humble person you could ever meet always made sure we came together as a family she was the type of person who would give everything she had to make sure her friends and family where happy apart of the reason she worked so much to give. Her death was a tragic experience for all of us she will forever be missed and forever in our hearts