According to the Harford County Sheriff's Office, a passerby discovered 21-year-old Amaya Marie Martise lying badly injured off S. Tollgate Road at Aiken Terrace in Abingdon on the morning of Feb. 10, at around 9 a.m.
Deputies provided emergency care at the scene before Martise was airlifted by Maryland State Police Medivac to a trauma center. She remains in serious condition, officials said.
Investigators determined Martise had been struck by a vehicle the previous evening, around 5:57 p.m. on Feb. 9, while walking home from Walmart. A search for the suspect began, with deputies recovering personal belongings near the point of impact.
Authorities say a citizen tip helped lead them to a damaged vehicle on Logan Circle on Feb. 11, which matched the crash evidence. The driver, Lebogang-Ram Motshabi, 25, of Abingdon, was arrested and charged with failure to remain at the scene of an accident involving bodily injury, failure to report to police, driving without a license, and driving an uninsured vehicle.
Motshabi was released from the Harford County Detention Center on Feb. 12 after posting $5,000 bail, officials said.
Martise’s mother, LaTanya Marie, has launched a GoFundMe campaign, revealing that her daughter is a devoted mother to a one-year-old baby girl and now faces a long, difficult recovery.
"Fifteen years ago, we moved to this area, and since then, Amaya has made it a daily routine to take a peaceful walk near our home," LaTanya wrote. "Tragically, last week, this routine walk ended in a horrific accident."
Marie described her outrage over the suspect’s low bail and said Amaya’s medical expenses, childcare costs, and ongoing recovery will be a massive financial strain.
As of Tuesday, Feb. 18, the fundraiser has collected $11,000 in donations. Click here to donate.
The Harford County Sheriff's Office is continuing to investigate the incident and urges anyone with information to contact Corporal Shane Fraser of the Special Operations Division, Traffic Unit, at 443-409-3511.
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