How much you want to bet that a cell phone was the cause of her distraction.

While cell phones are a problem and MAY have caused this accident, I don't think people should be jumping so quick. Maybe wait for more details... People could be talking about a 17 year not wearing a seat belt instead...

Girl may have been wearing seatbelt, they do malfunction, and she didn't hit anyone by RUNNING. RED LIGHT!!!

The victim is victimized yet again!

your cars are wrong. Katie Mitchell drives the equinox not a trailblazer. Please keep her in your thoughts.

The information posted was provided by Maryland State Police. I will request a copy of the accident report to triple check vehicles, however this story reflects the details provided by police.

regardless whose "fault" it was, two people were seriously injured. instead of trying to blame someone, lets take some time to pray for their speedy recovery and for their families.

Agreed lets hope she is okay.

Although I do know she does drive a trailblazer. the report is correct

Lesson: keep your eyes on the road people, and the phones out of your hands, this isn't that hard!! Just do it!!!!!!!

There are distractions other than cell phones people. Stop using every accident story to broadcast your disapproval of drivers that use cell phones. I bet if the driver had a medical emergency while driving there would still be ignorant post about the cause being a cell phone. Concentrate on the well being of both the victims. Accidents happen.

Of course we don't know the cause of this accident and thoughts and prayers are with the injured, but there are so many poor drivers out there.
I was driving thru Perry Hall in front of Safeway, heading north in the left turning lane preparing to make a left, when a jacked up pickup truck flew past me in the turn lane.
I had to abort my turn in order not to be slammed by the truck. The truck merged back into the proper driving lanes and the went thru a red light at Honeygo and Belair Rd. Absolute disreguard for the safety of others. Wake up folks!

This isn't rocket science. You run a red light it's your fault. There are only three colors to chose from - red means stop, green means go and freakin' yellow means proceed only if stopping isn't safe or wise. Could care less if the victim here was wearing a seat belt or not; although sure is a wake up call to those that get lazy about that. This isn't a no-fault world where it's acceptable to stumble around, ignorant and unaware particularly where the operation of a vehicle is concerned. Sorry doesn't cut it when you nearly kill somebody - she ought to at minimum lose her license for a very long time, but also lose her house, her kids, her job...she nearly killed somebody and this young girl who was obeying traffic signals will never been the same for the rest of her life.

True she is at fault, but I think it's amazing how people can have such strong opinions about an accident they don't know all to much about. Rather than assuming one thing over the other, consider all the possibilities.

Police report states and on scene witnesses report not a yellow light...steady red vs. steady yellow. The moron went through a red light. No other possibilities. Being 28 the chances she had a medical emergency are near zero. She needs to rest up because crap is going to hit the fan and she deserves it and more. Negligence can rise to nearly the same level of being deliberate and this clearly is 100% her fault.

Okay just because she is under 30 doesnt mean she has perfect health. Stop assuming you know the girl and ALL the details pertaining to this accident. And name calling really? What are we still in grade school?

We can all go back and fourth about what the cause was. And all I can say is unless the girl who ran the red light had a medical condition at that moment then SHE WAS NOT PAYING ATTENTION. Phone, radio, looking in the mirror, eating, what ever the reason, her eyes were not focused on what she should have been focused on. I see this crap every single day and sick of it personally. And now new cars are coming out with even more crap for people to play with while driving. Sometimes the gadgets are more distracting than a cell phone.

Actually I want to retract that last statement. You may very well be still in grade school.

Okay you may very well be sick of it but what are you going to do about it. I read all these comments and agree with the fact that she was at fault. However unless you are a perfect driver please keep your harsh comments to yourself. Because 9 times out of ten the same people who complain about people on there cell phones be the ones on theirs.

Wow, there are quite a few opinions in here. I simply said that people should not jump to conclusions about cell phone use and that if the victim was wearing her seatbelt, this may not even be a story. While according to the police report, it was no doubt the 28 year olds fault; the accident would not have been as bad if the 17 year old was not thrown from her vehicle. For anyone to be thrown from a vehicle these days, they almost certainly were not wearing a seatbelt. It’s not victimizing the victim; it’s simply saying that the victim most likely was not wearing her seatbelt. And for the people who think there should be more laws about cell phone use, I would bet you’ve broken them before because very few people put their cell phones away when they get in their cars.

Let's just remember to keep the discussion civil, folks.

Well said John Doby. My point exactly.

John if you teach defensive driving to teenagers you've lost all credibility defending cell phone use in a moving vehicle. Kids are more likely to both be injured and cause injury and certainly more likely to be on a cell phone or texting - not such a great combination of factors. If you could send a link to any valid study (one not done by a cell phone manufacturer), that would suggest reduced cell phone use in vehicles doesn't lower accident rates then you might have something to talk about. There's a big difference between reduction in use and implementation of a law; because obviously if the law isn't being enforced you don't have reduced use and therefore no reduction in accidents. How about we toughen the laws to to correlate the risk and the propensity of the problem? I don't think Ashley's three strikes lose your license suggestion isn't so far off the mark. Statistically texting while driving is as dangerous as drunk driving and we don't hesitate to take the license of people who chronically drink and drive.

Karl Schuub you are right. Is that what you want? Because this is becoming argumentative and it seems nobody's views are ever going to change.

Everyone of you all need to keep your thoughts to yourself and just remember lives have been changed forever. Instead of using your energy for making all these comments why not just take a moment and pray for all involved!!!!!!

I think if you're caught texting while driving you ought to have your license at least temporarily suspended. You cause an accident like this woman you should be required back into drivers training, jail time, plus restitution before given the ability to drive again. Driving is a privilege, not a right...abuse the privilege, lose your license.

Enforcement of the cell phone laws are difficult. Talking is a secondary violation (meaning you can't be stopped for that alone) and texting is almost impossible to prove. The courts are dropping cases left and right. Hopefully the talking law will become a primary offense this October. Best wishes to those involved in the crash.

I understand Dirt; folks also understand the limited ability to enforce it thus we have everyone, or at least most everyone continuing as if there were no law. That exactly why the statistic that 30% of accidents are because of some distractive technology in the car...doesn't count because those that lie..throw the phone quickly in the purse and pretend they weren't on the phone. Primary offense..we all know that needs to happen; so if statistically texting and talking is as dangerous as drunk driving enforcement should follow. Ever tried watching a movie and driving..I defy anyone to suggest talking to someone even hands free is not just as distractive as to try to watch a movie while driving. Nobody needs a television in thier car either.

I think when an article such as this gets so far out of hand, Emily Kimball should pull it. Nobody posting opinions here knows exactly what happened. The young lady could have had a heart attack, seizure or a number of medical conditions, could have spilled coffee or dropped a cigarette on her lap, could have been distracted for a split second for any number of reasons, and on and on and on.
Yet almost everyone here has convinced themselves the accident was caused by talking on a cell phone. Mind numbing!

Other Tim, you are correct. It is unclear what happened aside from a terrible accident. Thanks for that perspective.

I agree with Other Tim about the comments being pulled but not the article. The article is not the problem, it's everyone wanting to get on their soapboxes and judge rather than keep the focus on the well-being of those involved that does. This seems to be a trend on here and it's unfortunate.

People. Don't use this tragedy as an opportunity for a soap box to voice your opinions. Katie Mitchell is a wonderful young lady, athlete, mentor, baby sitter, etc, etc. she has no doubt had surgery and will have to fight to regain normalcy. Please take a moment and pray for Katie, her mom, dad, and brother as they get through this.

Cell phones don't kill people. People kill people.

Karl.. Shut up! You don't know the circumstances and no one wanta to hear your preaching and nasty comments! So..shut TFU! What an idiot! You are only concerned with your own opinions and you could care less about the victims involved!

I would just like to say she was wearing a seatbelt your all getting ridicoulous about what happened and you don't even know what happened, only what your hearing.

We are talking about a 17 year old girl whose life may be changed forever due to the severity of her injuries. Many of you making assumptions and ignorant comments are the usual suspects who make stupid comments on most articles on here because you think the rest of us actually care what you have to say. Well we don't! It is very possible to be ejected from a car even though you are wearing a seatbelt so stop assuming that just because the accident victim was 17 that she was doing something wrong! Prayers and good thoughts go out to her and her family because she has a long road to recovery ahead of her.

Hah, the stalking poster has returned. Katherine, Adrienne, Cd, & Chuck are the one and the same serial poster that comes out every time there is a crime or an accident simply silly.

This is why it is necessary to be very observent even when you have the green light. Watch out for that other guy!!! God bless all involved.