Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-05-03
Rockville Psyehiairist
Gets Year in Traffic
Death Of Girl, II

DR.. Robert Roy MOTIFS. 81, O.
Rockville. director of the Mont
gomery County Mental Hygiene
Clinic. yesterday was sentenced to
one year in prison when con-
yicted on charges arising from a
Palm Sunday traffic accident that
was fatal 90 young girl.
Trial Magistrate Warren Brown
ing convicted the psychiatrist in
Bethesda Police Court of man
slaughter. reckless driving and
hit-and-run. The doctor noted an
appeal to Montgomery County
Circuit Court and his bond was
continued at $500.
Magistrate Browning gave DR.
Morris concurrent one-year terms
on the manslaughter and hit-ran
charges. to be served in the Mary
land House of Correction. He sus-
pended sentence in the reckless
driving case
four-Car Collision.
DR.. Morris. who also is a men,
Der of the staff of Chestnut Lodge
Sanitarium. was involved in a
four-car collision on the Rock
vile pike, near Georgetown Pre-
paratory School. April TO- Miss
Juliette Anne Fleck. IT, of Young
wood. Pa. was fatally hurt. Six
others received minor injuries in
the collision.
According to the police report,
DR.. Morris. travelling toward
Washington. was passing two
other 'southbound automobiles,
but on the wrong side OF the
double white road lines. The re-
port said his bumper struck the
left front fender of a northbound
car driven by Robert G. Peoples.
Is, of Youngwood. Miss Flick
was in Mr.. Peoples automobile.
The report stated that the i'm
pact threw the Peoples car out
of control so that it crossed the
highway and hit one of the two
southbound vehicles. In turn. this
car rammed the other Southbound
automobile which was just ahead
The report did not specify which
bumper of the doctors car had
struck Mr.. Peoples vehicle. A
bumper introduced at the trial.
however, was identified as one
taken from the rear Of DR.. Morris
convertible. At the left end it
was bent backward. States At
torney Thomas N. Anderson said
this indicated a blow came from
a direction opposite to that from
which DR.. Morris was travelling,
rather than from car in the
rear.
Arrested in Bethesda.
DR.. Morris was arrested in
Bethesda several days after the
accident when policemen observed
damage to his rear bumper and
fender.
The doctor declared he was un-
aware that his car had been in
collision with any vehicle except
one driven by Miss Irene Starr,
3415 Wisconsin avenue NV. He
said he struck that car in the rear
when trying to move from the
center lane to the right-hand lane
in line of traffic.
Apparently. Miss Starr did not
notice the impact, DR.. Morris said,
for she kept driving.
AS soon as he got her attention,
he testified. he signaled her to stop.
DR.. Morris failed to ascertain
Miss STAIRS name at the time.
After his arrest, he appealed
through the newspapers for an
elderly gray-haired lady" to come
forward and verify his account.
Miss Starr read the story and
notified the defendant. She, a
sister and friend, all of whom
were in the car. went to court as
witnesses and substantiated the
incident.
Called "Preposterous."
States Attorney Anderson Ia
beled the defense "preposterous."
He presented several witnesses
who said a convertible resembling
DR.. Morris was in collision with
the car in which Miss Fleck rode.
The State said the physician did
not stop for a distance of about
two blocks. Then he went on
without investigating the prin-
cipal crash.
Magistrate Browning said he
was convinced beyond all rea-
sonable doubt" that DR.. Morris
was guilty on all charges. He
asserted the defendants failure
to stop was especially reprehen-
sible," in view of the fact he Is
a doctor and might have rem.
dered medical assistance to the
injured.
DR.. Morris, who is not married,
served 10 months as a medical
officer aboard a troop transport
during the war. he said. Before
going to Chestnut Lodge SAM
tarium he had been employed at
st. Elizabeths Hospital and the
Naval Medical Center, Bethesda.