Is it time to add rumble strips on Piney Ridge Pkwy near this stop sign?

Probably rumble strips and a 4 way stop.

Very tragic...our neighborhood just lost a really nice young man at an intersection that has been the site of numerous accidents in the past few years (including one that involved a school bus). Why is it called a "parkway" to begin? According to the Encyclopedia Brittanica a parkway is:
"a major arterial divided highway that features two or more traffic lanes in each direction, with opposing traffic separated by a median strip; elimination of grade crossings; controlled entries and exits.."Their advantages include high speed, greater safety, comfort and convenience for drivers and passengers,......". The way the road is designed allows drivers to build a high rate of speed, and although there's a stop sign, it visually looks like it the road just continues straight. You really don't see the north coming traffic until you get to the intersection because of the trees. Every accident that I'm aware of has occurred because of a car running the west bound stop sign. I watch in disgust daily as very few cars stop at the intersection of Freedom Ave and Johnsville Rd to begin with, I'm not surprised that a stop sign at the Johnsville and Piney Ridge Pkwy intersection has failed to stop west bound traffic. We all need to take personal responsibility for our driving (and insist on the same from our children). My daughters are super vigilant every time they cross that intersection, but not everyone is familiar with it's dangers. My heart goes out to Mr Foerter's family.

that is my father who died

My daughter used to live in the corner townhouse where this happened. Way too many accidents. Isn't about time they put in a light or at least a roundabout? They need to act before tragedy like this happens again. My heart goes out to the family of Mr. Foerter.

Sophia, my husband worked with your father. He was so funny and sweet. Such a great friend. He will be missed greatly.

My thoughts and prayers go out to you Sophie and your family. I am so sorry for your loss... I hate seeing this by anyone. My son drives a jeep with his top off and I am always worried about stuff like this because there is no top on :( its almost like being on a motorcycle. I guess my fear is true the seat belts do not work you are ejected.
God Bless your family <3

Jarid and I love and miss Erik so much. He was an amazing father to my neice and nephew and the world lost one of the good ones.

Liz

Erik is my son and I am so MAD that this has happened. So many people love him and he loved them all right back. He ADORDED Sophia and Devin and his four sisters. This truly was a senseless accident. However, one has to wonder what this driver who caused this d was doing...texting, or reading a text, talking on his phone or looking at the GPS????? My boy was. taken from us, he had and infectious laugh and a smile a mile long. Why did't the other guy die????? I want my boy back...
Erik's Mom

I worked with Erik at Medimmune. He was one of the most dedicated and hard working people I have ever known. Great sense of humor and we laughed so much until it hurt. He often spoke of his family and the kids he called his children. He was a good man and will be missed by a lot of people. Peace to him and hopes of comfort for the ones he left behind.

Why is the other driver's identity being protected? In most case like this, both drivers are identified and fault is not assigned pending a complete investigation. So, who is the mystery driver and who do they know that is keeping their name out of the news?

My heart g.oes out to the Foerter family, Devin, and Sophia. I have known your son, brother, and father since middles school. I am truly heartbroken over this tragic accident. He was so full of life. Even on your worse day, he could make you smile. Erik was a friend to all he knew. I am blessed and truly proud to have called him my friend. Deborah, you raised a great man! Sophia and Devin, he talked about the two of you all of the time, he truly and most sincerely loved you! My thoughts and prayers are with you all! Erik, you will be forever loved and missed! God Bless!!!!

My name is Jeff Anderson. I live in Piney Ridge and I happened upon this accident just a minute or 2 after it occurred. I will not forget what I saw that day. This man was about my age and has children, just like a lot of us do. I walk with my family up and down the sidewalks where this occurred. There is simply no reason that something like this should ever happen in a residential area. The speed limit is 30. Everyday I see people driving extremely irresponsibly on Piney Ridge Parkway. Sometimes police set up radar , but they cannot be everywhere. It is time for speed bumps and/or speed cameras. I vow to do everything I can to see that through. I would drive over those bumps gladly for the rest of my life if I knew that it could prevent what happened even once.

I worked with Erik at Medimmune and Life Tech. He was always so happy and his personality was infectious. He loved his job at Medi and told me many times that he felt he was so needed there and that he felt so accomplished. I am still in shock. My heart goes out to all the family and I will keep all in my prayers. This is a true tragedy.

I am so sorry for your loss. This accident happened about 20 feet from my front door. To Erik's family, I just wanted to let you know, he was not alone that day. There were many people out there praying for him and even one woman who stayed by his side the entire time until the paramedics got there talking to him, comforting him. Words cannot express how sad I am for you, I've thought about it everyday since and probably will as long as I live here. We need to make that 'intersection' safe, not just for Erik's family but for the kids who stand there at the bus stop every morning, the hundreds of runners that jog through every week, and the people who drive that road everyday. I hope you all find peace in this time of tragedy, if only for a minute.

I brandon gross and my 3 sisters grow up in charles county with Erik. He was always so Happy! His smiles and laughter would lite up any room. He was so full of life, laughter and a kind heart. My heart and prays go out to the Foerter family

Prayers sorry

I miss him so much he was great at anything father,friend,son and brother we all will love him including I his daughter.

Kym Byrnes has posted Erik's obituary on Patch. She did a wonderful job, this has captured by boy's spirit. Thanks Kym.

"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal." Our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Erik. You will be in our thought and prayers! Piney Ridge Rental Townhomes

I am Erik's neighbor, and although I cannot take away the pain that Erik's friends and family are feeling, I hope you find some comfort in this memory. I saw Erik just before the accident. It was a beautiful day as he left his house in his Jeep with the top down. I have seen Erik come and go countless times over the last several years, and on this particular day, I vividly remember the smile on his face as he drove by. It is the same smile that is connected to the "infectious laugh" that his mother speaks about. The laughter that I could hear even a door away. I know that Erik was happy on Saturday, and for me, this brings a little solace to an unnecessary loss.

Thank you Andrea, it feels so much better knowing how happy he was that day. He was a good man, we miss him terribly.
Deborah

My name is Amy Easter, I was Erik's neighbor down at the end of the road. My sister (also a neighbor) and I are very interested in having changes made to that intersection; she found info on http://ccgovernment.carr.org/ccg/commiss/District5.aspx about our county commissioner, Doug Howard, as well as his email: dhoward@ccg.carr.org. Maybe it's time we all start emailing him OFTEN to highlight the importance of getting more visible stop signs (larger, flashing lights around the border), a roundabout or 4 way so we can make our neighborhood safer. We cannot bring Erik back to his family, but our collective voice can bring meaningful change to an otherwise senseless accident. My deepest condolences to Deborah and his family and Sophia and Devin. We miss seeing you and your brother on our street, Sam still asks about you sometimes. We love you.

I sent the Commissioner an email today.

I have sent an email to Commissioner Howard today and will follow this up with a phone call. I urge all concerned members of this community to do the same.

Deborah,
I contacted our HOA last week and they sent a mass email to all of the homeowners in our community. Several residents have expressed to me their interest in helping, and I will forward Commissioner Howard's contact information to them. Please let me know if I can do anything else. My thoughts are with you and your family.

Commissioner Howard has responded to my email, the short message is that they will gather all available data concerning this intersection from fire and rescue as well as the sheriff's office for their safety recommendations and then will advocate for change based on this. I responded to him and told him that while he is "gathering information" that an immediate change with minimal effort and cost would be to make that intersection a 4-way stop and that a sign stating stop ahead for the stop sign where the man that killed by son ran right through it would also be appropriate. Thank you Andrea, I want to do what I can to make your neighborhood safe, Erik really liked it there and he would want us to do this. I will be in this for the long haul.

Thank you, Deborah. Commissioner Howard responded to me with the same information, so I'm glad that you requested an immediate change. Erik is greatly missed in our neighborhood, and I appreciate your help to make it a safer one.

I am very sorry for your loss but how does wishing someone dead help the situation? Cars are made with doors and roofs for a reason. It is perfectly fine to drive with them off if you wear your seatbelt. Lets gather all the information and factor in all outside influences before wishing someone dead. Dont you think this man feels awful for contributing to a death? He will have that pain forever.

To Ms. Swann, whoever you are??? sounds like you are related to the the murderer of my son. Erik took care of people, he was just like anybody else on the afternoon of 09-22-12, just running an errand, for someone else I might add. A reckless and selfish killer used his car to kill my son. If a life was to be taken, it should not have been Erik's. It should have been Daniel J. Waskiewicz. DOB 07-30-88. This is the name of the reckless driver that killed my son.

BTW Ms Swann, if you have been reading this thread, you will note that many people including myself have sent Commissioner Doug Howard emails requesting an immediate remedy to this intersection while it is being "studied", that is a request for a 4 way stop sign intersection, it is cheap and immediate and may save a life. However we still need to get idiot murderers off the roads like Daniel Waskiewicz of Catonsville, MD.

Ms. Swann, I would love to meet you in person with my husband, Erik's dad and his 4 sisters and 2 children so you can see how much we miss our Erik. And by the way, I do have the "details" about the accident. I think you have the courage of the internet to speak they way you do and you do NOT have the courage to speak directly to me. HOW DARE YOU tell me what is appropriate. My son was not wearing his seatbelt and that is all that he did, THAT DID NOT CAUSE his death, the reckless driver that ran that stop sign caused his death, He is a murderer and thought that what he had to do that day was way more important than anyone else... a selfish act caused a life to end...I was on that road on Tuesday, young mothers with children were walking near that intersection, what if...

I have been watching this conversation and Ms Swann and Betty R. Go back and re-read what she said. She did NOT say anything about WISHING anyone dead. She simply said " why didnt the other guy die?" Many people would say the same thing as well.... Its always the good people that are taken away.. Never the law breakers... the drunks, the ones on their phones or simply not paying attention. Never them. Its always the innocent that get badly hurt or killed.

Thank you for releasing the negligent driver's name. A search on Maryland Judiciary Case Search shows he has a history of traffic violations. Why didn't the States Attorneys Office charge him with more than just failure to stop at a stop sign?

Even though the jeep was hit so hard the back seat was knocked out and the wheels were sheared off the axle, Deputy Jeff Miller, the crash reconstructionist for Carroll County police states that he feels both cars were going about the same speed, 30MPH!!! Really!! Erik was just coming off of a stop sign at Freedom and Johnsville, you can see his house from where he was killed, so I do believe Erik was going no faster than about 30MPH, with that said, Daniel Waskiewicz was probably going twice that. The case has not gone to the States Attorneys Office yet but Deputy Miller feels that is all he can charge him with!! We will have to wait to see how it all plays out...Yes Waskiewicz has a history of driving at high speeds.

I just did a case search on Daniel Waskiewicz. Recently charged in March 2012 with driving 78mph in a 40mph zone... But oh no he couldn't have been speeding that fateful day. And in June 2011, he went to court charged with "DRIVER FAILURE TO OBEY PROPERLY PLACED TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE INSTRUCTIONS". And my cousin Erik is the one who suffered the ultimate consequence of his obvious disregard for everyone else.

WOW. I just got off of the Maryland Judiciary Case Search.....Daniel, you are a menace to society and I pray that you receive the punishment that you so deserve!!! To all, here are past charges that I have copied and pasted so that others can see for themselves.

1. EXCEEDING MAXIMUM SPEED: 84 MPH IN A POSTED 65 MPH ZONE
2. WILLFULLY DISOBEYING LAWFUL ORDER AND DIRECTION OF POLICE OFFICER
3. DRIVER FAILURE TO OBEY PROPERLY PLACED TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE INSTRUCTIONS
4. EXCEEDING MAXIMUM SPEED: 78 MPH IN A POSTED 40 MPH

One last thing, Ms. Swann YOU are the one who ought to be ASHAMED of YOURSELF. How dare you speak such harsh words to Erik's mother??? All this because you INACCURATELY read her comment and decided to put your two- cents in. I had to call my sister and warn her about allowing my niece and nephew on this forum so they don't have to see how much you have upset their grandmother. Explain yourself to an 11 and 13 year old who just lost the man they looked up to and loved more than anything. It is a shame that my niece may not be able to express herself on here and gather comfort from writing her own posts because of your ignorant one. I had only read Betty R's posting initially, but after reading Mrs. Foerter's response, I went back and read yours.....why don't you take your anger toward the situation and call the local government? The Foerter's are a big part of my family, and I cannot allow anyone to be disrespectful to my family without addressing it.

There will be a Town Hall meeting where this intersection will be discussed on Oct. 8 at 7pm at the Senior Center at Oakland Mills Rd. Commissioner Doug Howard will be there. All concerned citizens of the Freedom area and just concerned citizens who are available should attend. The current plan as outlined by Comm. Howard is to replace the stop sign at Piney Ridge and Johnsville with "larger" sign with a yellow sign beneath stating that not all traffic stops at the intersection. I urge everyone to consider supporting a 4 way stop so that everyone at that intersection has a chance to see what is coming towards them. If Erik had stopped at that intersection he would have seen the selfish idiot, Daniel Waskiewicz barreling down Piney Ridge Pkwy and would still be here today to tell us of the idiot who ran the stop sign...Hope to see all concerned residents there.

Wearing a seatbelt usually prevents you from being ejected from the car.

Mrs. Foerter, Could you please post the exact address to the meeting tomorrow night? I will be there and hope they allow all of us a chance to speak on behalf of Erik. I know you have a lot support from a lot of people, but if there is ever anything I can do, please let me know. Sophia spent the night with me last night and was talking about you...she misses you guys so much :-)

@deborah, the problem is not traffic on Johnsville Rd, it is folks driving to fast on Piney Ridge Pkwy & running the stop sign. Installing a 4-way stop does not fix the problem of folks running the stop sign on Piney Ridge Pkwy. Something needs to be installed, on Piney Ridge Pkwy, to get folks attention when approaching that intersection. Whether it be rumble strips, inverted rumble strips (similar to what is on the shoulder of roads) or speed humps. A larger STOP sign is a good start, but I also think inverted rumble strips would help even more.

Seems there are two people with the exact same name, but different birthdates. Not far enough apart to be father and son though. Daniel W. DOB 7/1988 is the one from this incident.

The address for the community meeting tomorrow at 7pm is South County Senior and Community Ctr, 5928 Mineral Hill Rd. Sykesvile, MD 21784. Even though the center is closed for Columbus Day, it is being opened in the evening for the mtg. Hope many can attend.

I'm related to Erik and what I would like is Daniel's address! Erik was a a wonderful man and if you idiots don't have anything better to do than try and implicate him as having any part in his own death, you should leave his grieving friends, family, and concerned citizens alone! Some people we wonder if they are stupid and others, like you, open their mouths and remove ALL doubt! rest in Peace, Erik!

Friends, family, and concerned citizens: join the Foerter's this evening at the Senior Center to advocate for change to the dangerous intersection that contributed to Erik's untimely death. Our collective voices may help save a life!!!!

South County Senior Community Center
5928 mineral hill road
Sykesville MD 21784

Begins at 7 tonight

I have just confirmed with Commissioner Howard that there is a meeting tonight at 7 p.m. at the South Carroll Senior Center. Commissioner Howard said it is a town meeting to discuss several different public safety related topics, including options for this particular intersection.

Did anyone look at Foerter's driving record...Maybe you should.....Does it really matter.....I pray for all of you...Your sick...Nothing you say will change the out come.....I feel for both family's....As should all of you.....God help all of us......

Why would you want the man's address......Crazzzy red necks......GO TO CHURCH....Sounds like your son was a good guy...Would he want you to act like this..God bless him....God help you...

Erics license was suspended he should not have been driving to start with

It would have never happened

Sorry for your loss

The facts of the incident are: Erik's vehicle had the right of way, Daniel failed to stop at a stop sign. Although Daniel did not intend to be involved in an accident, Daniel's negligence was the contributing factor in the death of Erik. Erik's family is in mourning because of this tragic loss and Daniel's family is naturally being protective of him. These ongoing comments will not help either of these families heal, nor will they help resolve this feud. I wish all of the family members and loved ones involved well, and the strength to get through these very difficult times.