A 79-year-old woman using a motorized mobility scooter in a crosswalk near the National Mall has died, and a Germantown man is now facing DUI and hit-and-run charges in connection with the crash, according to D.C. police. The victim, identified by authorities as Virginia Voight of Palmyra, New Jersey, succumbed to her injuries a week after the July 5 collision.
Officers were called around 9 p.m. on July 5 to the intersection of 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW after a white Ford F-150 allegedly struck Voight as she traveled through the north crosswalk, according to reporting by MoCo Show. U.S. Park Police airlifted her to a local hospital, and a National Guard member at the scene detained the pickup’s driver until responding officers arrived.
Charging documents reviewed by Fox 5 DC identify the driver as Michael Wayne Mills of Germantown. Mills allegedly told officers he had one alcoholic drink about three hours earlier, saying, “It was a Stella.” Police reported a preliminary roadside breath test result of 0.1% and a subsequent station test of 0.04%. The legal blood alcohol limit in D.C. is 0.08%. According to the documents, while providing a urine sample Mills added, “I’ll tell you what you’ll find in there. Some Stella and some marijuana.” Investigators have asked anyone with information about the crash to call (202) 727-9099 or text 50411.
Charges, Investigation And What Comes Next
The Metropolitan Police Department arrested Mills at the scene and charged him with driving under the influence and leaving after colliding, with additional counts potentially on the table as the investigation continues, MoCo Show reports. Prosecutors are expected to review the full case file before deciding on formal charges. Officials have not publicly released specific court dates or detailed charging documents beyond what is contained in the initial filings.
A Deadly Crash In A Bad Year For D.C. Streets
This fatal collision lands in the middle of a troubling trend on District roadways. The Washington Post reports that traffic deaths in D.C. more than doubled in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, prompting fresh scrutiny of the city’s street-safety strategy. The District Department of Transportation’s Vision Zero program calls for lower default speed limits, curb extensions and other design changes that aim to cut severe crashes and better protect pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users.
As investigators work to reconstruct what happened in the seconds before the impact at 14th and Independence, city agencies and safety advocates say dangerous turning movements and hit-and-runs remain a particular concern in the downtown core. Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact the Metropolitan Police Department’s tip line.
