Suspected Hit And Run Driver Charged With DUI

A Forest Hill woman has been charged in connection with and police say alcohol was a contributing factor in the crash.

Jennifer Helen Brooks, 52, of Forest Hill was charged Tuesday with driving under the influence and seven hit-and-run related charges in connection with the accident, according to Maryland State Police with the Bel Air Barrack.

Brooks contacted the barrack Tuesday and told investigators she was driving the at the time of the crash, according to a release.

Investigators learned Brooks had been drinking at Jimmy’s Old School Tavern, located at 3403 Conowingo Road in Street, shortly before the crash and believe alcohol was a contributing factor in the accident, according to state police.

Shortly before 7:40 p.m. on Labor Day, Susan Gourgoulianis, 28, of Darlington was in the car with a family member when the two began to argue, according to a release from Maryland State Police.

Gourgoulianis was ordered to get out of the car on southbound U.S. Route 1, or Conowingo Road, just north of the Hickory bypass, according to police.

A witness told police Gourgoulianis was on or near the road waving her arms when a blue car swerved, apparently trying to avoid her.

Instead of avoiding her, however, the car's passenger side mirror hit her. The witness said the car pulled to the side of the road about 500 feet from the accident before pulling away, according to state police.

Gourgoulianis was taken to Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore for treatment. She had been released from shock trauma as of Tuesday afternoon, police said.

Investigators found damage to the passenger side and mirror area of Brooks' Lincoln, state police said.

In addition to driving under the influence, Brooks is charged with driving while impaired, failure to immediately stop at the scene of an accident involving bodily injury, failure of driver involved in accident to render reasonable assistance to injured person, driving an unregistered vehicle, negligent driving, reckless driving and several other traffic violations.