From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Wed Sep 03 2008 - 09:23:59 EDT
http://www.delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200880902024 Mt. Laurel
priest dies in crash
By DAVID LEVINSKY
Burlington County Times
A Mount Laurel priest was one of two people killed in a two-vehicle
collision on Route 13 in Maryland over the Labor Day weekend, authorities
said.
The Rev. Teclezghi Ucbag-hiorghis, 59, of Our Lady of Fatima Monastery died
in the accident Sunday morning in Pocomoke City, Md., police said.
Jane Kern, 70, of Freehold was identified as the other person killed, and
two other residents of Freehold were seriously injured, police said.
Investigators said the accident occurred at approximately 10 a.m. on Route
13 at a crossover entrance into Pocomoke City. Preliminary investigation and
witness reports indicated that Ucbaghiorghis was exiting from southbound
Route 13 into Pocomoke City when he failed to stop at a stop sign at the
crossover and collided with a northbound Buick LeSabre driven by MaryAnne
Gillette, 70, and carrying Kern and a second passenger, Diane Barber, 66.
The collision caused Ucbag-hiorghis' car to overturn in the grass median
along Route 13, and both vehicles caught fire, police said.
Ucbaghiorghis, who was alone in his vehicle, was unconscious and trapped in
the burning car, and local officers were unable to rescue him until
firefighters arrived and extinguished the vehicle fire, police said. He was
then pronounced dead at the scene.
Kern, who was a front-seat passenger in Gillette's car, also was pronounced
dead at the scene, police said.
Gillette and Barber survived the crash and were taken to area hospitals,
police said. Gillette was listed in critical condition and Barber was in
stable condition yesterday, police said.
A police spokeswoman said an investigation into the accident is ongoing but
that officers were not sure why Ucbaghiorghis failed to stop.
"When you leave the highway you have to cross over the highway to come into
town. There's a stop sign, but for some reason he didn't stop," said Angel
D. Thornes, spokeswoman for the Pocomoke City police.
Ucbaghiorghis was a native of Eritrea, a small country in Northeast Africa,
and was a member of the Cistercians monks, an order dating back to medieval
times in Europe. The order is known for its devotion to daily prayer and
performing labor and good deeds.
According to the Diocese of Trenton, Ucbaghiorghis was ordained as a
Cistercian priest in 1978 and has spent the past 11 years at the Mount
Laurel monastery, where he served as director of vocations and as a pastoral
minister.
The monastery was founded on property off Walton Avenue in the 1960s.
Ucbaghiorghis also assisted at St. John Neumann parish, which is located
adjacent to the monastery, the diocese confirmed.
A death notice issued by the monastery indicated he was traveling to offer
sacramental ministry and attend a wedding.
The Diocese of Trenton confirmed yesterday that Kern was a member of a
Catholic parish in Freehold, and Bishop John Smith issued a statement
indicating he was deeply saddened by both of their deaths.
"Automobile accidents are always tragic, but especially when the victims are
people we know personally," Smith said. "We share the sorrow of all the
families affected and with the Cistercian community at St. John Neumann
Parish, where Father Ucbaghiorghis ministered. We will continue to pray to
almighty God for the recovery of those injured in this accident and will
offer our prayers for all those who were impacted."
Funeral arrangements for Ucbaghiorghis were incomplete as of yesterday
afternoon.
Email: dlevinsky@phillyBurbs.com
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