ACCOMACK COUNTY, Va. (WAVY) – It’s been two months since a young mother was killed in an auto-pedestrian crash.
Virginia State Police told 10 On Your Side 26-year-old Erika Bailey and her boyfriend were teaching their daughter how to ride a bike on Nocks Landing Rd.
It’s then when a car struck the family killing Bailey on impact.
“Erika lost her life. It was a family just out for an evening walk and bike riding,” said Karen Downing, a local minister and community activist.
The details left Downing questioning how it happened. She said Nocks Landing Rd. is a straight road with few curves and a posted 40 mph speed limit.
“It was reported that alcohol and speed wasn’t a factor,” Downing said. “Knowing that particular stretch of secondary road, it was kind of questionable to me. How could an accident like that happen?”
Another local minister told 10 On Your Side it’s frustrating that nothing has been done.
“We are saying that someone was killed and others were hurt and there has been no repercussions for two months,” said Willie Justis, a local minister and community activist. “We want answers.”
They are hoping to use their voices to change that.
“We have been quiet long enough waiting for justice,” said community activist Marvin Giddens. “If we don’t speak up, justice may not come. This time we have to speak out to get justice for the family.”
Saturday, a group of activists are hoping to show what a unified effort can do when they hold a candlelight vigil to get justice for Erika.
They are planning to meet at the Mary N. Smith Cultural Enrichment Center at 3:30 p.m., then travel to Nocks Landing Road.
“We feel it’s necessary to take that time to remember Erika and also let others know that she is not forgotten and the accident hasn’t been forgotten,” Downing said. “We are working together diligently as a community to ensure the Commonwealth Attorney, State Police and other authority don’t forget about it.”
10 On Your Side’s Lauryn Moss spoke to a family member of the man hit. She said the little girl already knew how to ride a bike and wasn’t learning, which contradicts an earlier statement by police.
A spokesperson for the Virginia State Police released this statement to 10 On Your Side:
“As in all fatal investigations, it’s a very timely process because it not only involves reconstruction, but insurance companies, and other agencies, for example, the medical examiners office. We have no jurisdiction or say so on how fast or slow other agencies work or their process, but unfortunately the information they provide will be needed for the investigation to be completed. Also the findings will be provided to the Commonwealth Attorney who will review the entire case to determine prosecution or not. A thorough investigation takes time, also one needs to take into consideration that the troopers involved, the investigating trooper and the reconstruction troopers, also have their normal workload and other ongoing criminal and traffic investigations.”
The Accomack County Commonwealth’s Attorney said the case is still active.
Previously, VSP said that “currently the investigation is being reviewed by the Accomack Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, which will determine if charges are to be placed. At this time of the investigation, no charges have been placed.”
