A young woman with a bright future died in a crash Sunday morning, and now a friend is facing second-degree murder charges, accused of driving drunk when he caused the fatal wreck, according to D.C. police.
According to court documents, 26-year-old Nancy Tinoza, her friend 35-year-old Momodui Bello and another woman were at the Mango club in Bladensburg, Maryland. Bello allegedly drank several alcoholic beverages.
A friend told police Bello drove very fast after they left the club. His Passat crashed into a tractor-trailer parked along Eastern Avenue NE after 3 a.m. Sunday.
Tinoza, who was in the front seat, suffered head trauma.
According to court documents, after the crash, Bello dragged Tinoza out of the car by her arms and began shaking her violently when she did not respond to him, police said. Bello allegedly dropped Tinoza, causing her to hit her head on the pavement.
Tinoza succumbed to her injuries at an area hospital.
The other passenger is OK. She and Bello were treated for minor injuries at area hospitals.
“Of course I'm angry at the world,” Tinoza’s friend Chiedza Mufunde said. “I'm angry at why such a beautiful life could be taken away.”
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
The United States Student Achievers program brought Tinoza to the D.C. area from Africa seven years ago.
Chiedza hopes people donate money to help fly her friend’s body back to Zimbabwe for a proper burial.
Tinoza leaves behind her parents, a brother and three sisters.
