Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Driver in July Death On 424 Faces Charges

3:39 p.m. EDT, October 28, 2014
    A night light shines stars and a moon on her bedroom ceiling.    "Good night, stars. Good night, moon," the girl would say with her father.
    Now Brooklyn Humphrey adds, "Good night, daddy."
    The 2-year-old Edgewater girl was told her father went to heaven.
    T.J. Humphrey died July 30 from injuries in a motorcycle crash. The 66-year-old Bowie woman who, police say, drove a car into the young father's path was cited Friday with negligent driving and failing to yield a right-of-way.
    Peggy Armstead Minnis faces fines of $280 and $750. A court date has not been scheduled.
"I don't hold it against her," Amy Humphrey said. "All I would like is just an apology. Hearing from her that she didn't mean to do it, that she's sorry — it would mean a lot."
    In 2012, Amy married T.J. Humphrey. He graduated from Bowie High School in 2002. He worked at Severn Autobody on West Street in Annapolis and was 30 when he died.
    Amy Humphrey is 27 and raising their children: Brooklyn and a 3-month-old son, Jaxon. Painful reminders live in the smile and blue eyes of Jaxon. He was born twelve days before his father died.
Last month, Amy Humphrey returned to work at Subway Auto Body in Odenton.
    T.J. Humphrey struck a Toyota Avalon the afternoon of July 26. He was driving north of Davidsonville, at the intersection of Davidsonville and Governor Bridge roads.    He had fed his boy, kissed his wife, and gone for a ride on his Harley-Davidson Sportster.
    Police say Minnis pulled from a flashing stop signal into his path. He was wearing a noncompliant helmet, police say.
    A man at Minnis' home said she would not talk to The Capital about the crash.
    Friends of the Humphreys began an online fundraiser and collected about $50,600 for the Edgewater family. Fundraisers were held at an Edgewater Hair Cuttery and Baltimore County steakhouse. A friend built a wooden cross placed at the intersection.
    "Everybody has done so much," Amy Humphrey said. "It's a blessing."
    She told her daughter T.J. lives in heaven with the stars and moon.    One night, Brooklyn stretched toward the ceiling to reach him.

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