Suffolk police arrested a Stony Brook woman Wednesday night in connection with the fatal hit-and-run crash that claimed an 11-year-old girl in Smithtown on Tuesday.
Maureen Lambert, 20, was charged with leaving the scene of a fatal motor vehicle crash. She pleaded not guilty at First District Court in Central Islip on Thursday morning and her bail was set at $250,000.
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Homicide Squad Detective Sgt. John Twiname said investigators tracked down a vehicle that had damage consistent with the crash. Then friends and family persuaded the suspect to turn herself in.
Detective Sgt. Richard Matero added that no drugs or alcohol are suspected at this time.
Fourth Squad detectives say Lambert was driving a truck when she struck Courtney Sipes as she was crossing East Main Street near Lawrence Avenue at 7 p.m. Sipes, who was leaving a music lesson with her mother when the accident occurred, was taken to St. Catherine of Siena Hospital in Smithtown where she died of her injuries.
A spokeswoman for The Pines Elementary School, where Sipes was a student, released this statement:
“This is a very difficult time for us to talk about this terrible tragedy. Courtney Sipes was a wonderful, energetic 5th grade student at The Pines Elementary School. She was a member of our Student Council, played the trumpet in our band and was involved in other school activities. We have provided grief counseling for our students and staff. Our deepest sympathy goes out to the Sipes’ family and The Pines’ community.”
I have grown up with Maureen and despite her family situation, she has continuously not been an upstanding citizen. It is horrible about the little girl and no mother should ever have to bury her child but this is not “a horrible incident on a twenty year old girl.” Yes, it is life changing to Maureen and will continue to follow her throughout the years but hopefully this little girls death will help Maureen change her life and make something good from it rather than what she has been doing for years and years. My prayers go out to the little girls family.
OMG Bill…how dare you?!?!? You obviously must not have children if you can sit there and blame the poor, tortured mother. Children are impulsive and you are not gripping the hand of an older child with the same fervor in which you are holding a two year old’s hand!!! To imply that the mother at fault (especially without knowing the facts) is simply cruel. I hope you never have to suffer the way this woman must be. Speaking of facts, Macgyver…where do you get yours? How exactly do you know for sure that they were not using the crosswalk and crossing against the light? That information was never stated anywhere. Furthermore, even it if was, this dirtbag HIT A CHILD AND DIDN’T STOP!!! The very next day a child was killed nearby, on a bike, on Route 347. In that instance, reports say the child drove into traffic and the man who killed him was not at fault. However, he did the right thing and had the decency to stay. The fact that this loser, this white trash pig, continued on her way with no regard to a little girls life is what makes her a despicable piece of trash. And the fact that she is so young and has such a poor driving record proves that something should have been done to stop her way before now. I hope she rots in jail the rest of life!
So if I understand, Lambert had a suspended license at the time of the accident. She had no business driving *anywhere*. Then pile on “leaving the scene..”.
For that reason alone, the Heroin part is actually moot. Maybe she was high, riding the White Horse at the time, maybe not. But her junkie ass had NO right to drive anywhere. So she had at least one reason to flee, probably more.
An unlicensed driver killed my cousin in Houston, TX April 2008 when she ran a red light. Once Harris county changed DA’s, the new DA dropped the charge. The unlicensed, uninsured, illegal alien walks away with murder and no record. She is free to borrow a friend’s car and kill again. And now ICE won’t touch her.
Yes, the family is trying to reach the Harris county DA – he won’t return calls.
So Maureen’s smirking, illegally-driving, junkie butt is behind bars where it finally belongs. The Smithtown streets are a *little* bit safer, and for that, I will put on a little smile myself.
May God grant poor Courtnet Sipes peaceful rest, and her family the Grace to find forgiveness.
I grew up with maureen, I now live in colorado when I heard this…it is so crazy how life goes…I agree it is disturbing that a little girl is dead because of my friend, but think how life is inside maureens head…its obviously a little cloudy.. So give her a little break, he life is screwed now and she will never be in a positive state of mind. My condolences go out to everyone…the sipes as well as my old friend, Maureen. I hope the person I used to know isn’t completely gone.
To Jax:
This is just too sad. I agree with all that you had said.
I can cannot begin to imagine what the parent’s of this child are going through right now. Being a mother myself, I feel just awful for this family.
Take care you must be going through something yourself.