MURDER USA: Brooks Bratten charged with hit and run death of a bicyclist Veronika Badurova in Ocean City

MURDER USA: Brooks Bratten charged with hit and run
death of a bicyclist Veronika Badurova in Ocean City

Brooks Bratten’s driver’s record littered with speeding violations and a dropped DUI charge

OCEAN CITY, MD – (September 7, 2017): The Ocean City Police Department has filed charges against the suspect involved in last week’s hit and run collision involving a bicyclist. The collision occurred Wednesday, August 30, 2017, at approximately 3 a.m. in the area of 2nd Street and Philadelphia Avenue.

The bicyclist, Veronika Badurova, 21, of Slovakia, died at Peninsula Regional Medical Center on Friday, September 1, 2017, due to injuries sustained during the collision. The suspect has been identified as Brooks Taylor Bratten, 38, of 201 South Washington Street, Snow Hill, Md. Officers have charged him with two counts of failure to remain at the scene of a fatal traffic collision, two counts of failure to remain at the scene of a traffic collision causing bodily injury, failing to render aid following a traffic collision and negligent driving. A warrant was issued and Bratten was picked up and jailed pending a hearing in the Worcester County Jail.

Badurova was riding her bicycle southbound on Philadelphia Avenue when she was struck by a Lincoln SUV traveling southbound driven by Bratten. Bratten failed to stop after the personal injury collision. The victim was transported by Ocean City EMS to Peninsula Regional Medical Center where she succumbed to her injuries two days later.

Bratten was charged with an open container of alcohol on July 28, 2017, by Ocean City Police Officer Purdy.

Bratten was charged with malicious property destruction over $1,000 on March 9, 2017.  A trial on that charge was postponed on June 13, 2017.

Bratten collected a speeding ticket for operating at 54 mph in a 35-mph zone on Aug. 16, 2016, provided by Ocean City Police Officer Kutz. Bratten paid the ticket on Jan. 20, 2017. Other speeding tickets were issued in 2014 and 2015 to Bratten when operating his uninsured Lincoln in Pocomoke City and in Berlin, Md.

Bratten entered a guilty plea to possession of marijuana on Sept. 5, 2014, when issued a citation by Ocean City Police Officer Bouey. Bratten was fined $300.

Charged with driving while suspended by Ocean City Police Officer Nathan Kutz on Jan. 20, 2017, Bratten entered a guilty plea in Worcester County District Court on March 20, 2017.

Bratten was arrested for DUI by Maryland State Trooper Lomax on April 24, 2014, while driving westbound on Md. Rt. 50 at Rt. 589. The charge was dropped on July 17, 2014, by Worcester County States Attorney Beau Oglesby.