It was a local crash that made national headlines when we discovered the driver behind the wheel of a crunched up Escalade was Olympic hometown hero Michael Phelps.
“He had nothing to do with causing the accident,” said Baltimore Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi.
Police said Phelps was heading home from Penn Station just before 9pm Thursday when his SUV slammed into a Honda Accord that investigators said ran a red light at the intersection of Biddle and Calvert streets. The account was verified by a witness. “She was not aware at the time she was interviewed the accident involved Michael Phelps," Guglielmi said.
The female driver of the Honda was taken to shock trauma for neck and back pain while police questioned Phelps on the scene, paying close attention to his behavior. “Were his eyes glossy, was his speech slurred, did he smell like alcohol?" Although Phelps did admit to having one beer more than an hour before the accident, police said the situation did not warrant a breathalyzer test.
But the 24 year old swimmer is not off the hook.
“Mr. Phelps will be cited for failure to carry a valid driver’s license and a $40 citation for failing to establish residency in state of Maryland after a year." Even though Phelps purchased a Fells Point condo last July, he's still registered as living in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Police also said the MI license Phelps handed over was not valid. “We realize Mr. Phelps travels a lot he has a very busy schedule he's been oversees a lot so it can be an oversight.” But that's an issue he'll now have to take up in court. As of this posting it was unclear when he will appear.
In the report Phelps also complained of right ankle pain but did not seek medical attention. His two passengers were not hurt. The other driver is 28 year old Amanda Virkus from Montgomery County. She faces a $180 fine and 3 points on her license for running the red.
Baltimore police say the other driver was at fault in a collision involving Olympic champion Michael Phelps.
Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi says the female driver ran a red light in her Honda Accord sedan and crashed in an intersection with Phelps' Cadillac Escalade SUV.
It was not immediately clear if police had issued a citation to the woman.
The 14-time gold medalist was not injured in Thursday night's crash. The unidentified woman was taken to a hospital as a precaution.
Phelps lives and trains in Baltimore and recently returned from the world swimming championships in Rome, where he won five golds and a silver.
Guglielmi says Phelps had not been drinking. The 24-year-old pleaded guilty to drunken driving in 2004 and was sentenced to 18 months' probation.
Previously...
Olympic gold medal swimmer Michael Phelps was not hurt after his SUV collided with another car in Downtown Baltimore Thursday night.
City Police say that Phelps' SUV collided with another car around 9 p.m. at the intersection of N Calvert St. and E Biddle St.
Phelps was driving his Cadillac Escalade with two other passengers in it, neither which were injuried.
The driver of the other car was taken to the hospital with minor injures
Phelps was interviewed by police at the scene and it was determined that alcohol was not a factor in the crash. Phelps and his passengers were allowed to leave the scene.
His SUV suffered some damage and was towed away.
Phelps recently returned from the World Championships in Rome and won eight gold medals in last years Beijing Olympics.
