Grace Palo
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON — (WMAL) The Montgomery County Police Department, along with the Red Cross, will be hosting their second annual Noah Leotta Memorial Blood Drive on Wednesday. It will be hosted at the Montgomery County Public Safety Headquarters in Gaithersburg from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
Officer Noah Loetta, a Montgomery Police officer, died last year on December 3rd after succumbing to to injuries sustained from being his by a drunk driver near the intersection of Rockville Pike and Edmonston Drive.
Officer Rick Goodale, a Public Information Officer with Montgomery County Police, said, “The Red Cross, based on the personnel they send, can only handle so many volunteers and donors. We had so much turnout that we actually had to turn people away but we did schedule a second blood drive to accommodate all of the volunteers.”
The Montgomery County Police Department is hoping to have the same turnout this year. They have created an online registration system to volunteers and donors can reserve a time slot to avoid some of the chaos and confusion. “The last I heard, all of the spots we have open are either completely filled or are almost filled,” Officer Goodale told WMAL.
Volunteers will be helped based on reservations, then first come first serve. Individuals interested in donating should arrive early but expect a short wait.
Officer Leotta was conducting a traffic stop on Rockville Pike at approximately 9:45 pm while working a special assignment on the agency’s Holiday Alcohol Task Force. He had contacted the driver and was getting back into his patrol car when a second vehicle struck his patrol car and then struck him.
Officer Leotta was transported to Suburban Hospital where he remained on life support until passing away on December 10th, 2015.
The driver of the vehicle that struck him was convicted of charges connected to Officer Leotta’s death and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Officer Leotta had served with the Montgomery County Police Department for almost three years. He is survived by his parents and sister.
Copyright 2016 by WMAL.com. All Rights Reserved. (Photo: Montgomery County Police Department)
