The Episcopal bishop who fled the scene of the crash that caused the death of a local bicyclist in Baltimore last month told a colleague shortly after the accident that she was "in shock."
According to the statement released by the the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland on Tuesday, Bishop Suffragan Heather Elizabeth Cook, the church's second-ranking official, called Rev. Canon Scott Slater at 2:59pm on December 27, about 20 minutes after the hit-and-run incident that killed Thomas Palermo in Roland Park.
The church's statement, containing a summary of information that was shared with the Episcopal clergy during their meeting on January 6, stated that Cook told Slater "she thought she had hit a bicyclist and was in shock."
Church officials and witnesses said that Cook drove away from the scene of the fatal accident in the 5700 block of Roland Ave. but returned a short time later. Slater saw Cook sitting in a police patrol car when he arrived at the scene at around 3:10pm.
"Heather and I were in a professional colleague group prior to her election," Slater said. "I consider her a friend as well as a colleague. I am deeply saddened for her as well the Palermo family. This is a terrible tragedy."
The national Episcopal Church has begun disciplinary proceedings regarding Cook's case while providing pastoral care, according to the church's spokeswoman Neva Rae Fox.
Meanwhile, the 58-year-old bishop, who was charged four years ago with drunken driving and marijuana possession, remains on administrative leave and has not been charged.
According to Fox, the details of the church investigation would "remain confidential."
Palermo, who lived in Baltimore County with his wife and two young children, died from head injuries, said Bruce Goldfarb, spokesman for the Maryland Medical Examiner's Office.
The Daily Mail reports that he was thrown on the hood of Palermo's green Subaru Forester when he was hit by the cleric.
