Aug 16, 2009 9:03 am US/Eastern
Phelps Discusses Thursday's Accident On Facebook
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
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Baltimorean and Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps was involved in a car accident Thursday night.
CBS
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Bystanders gather near Michael Phelps' SUV following a car accident in downtown Baltimore.
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Michael Phelps' Cadillac Escalade collided with another car in downtown Baltimore.
CBS
Michael Phelps is still feeling the effects from Thursday's car crash in Mount Vernon. Phelps says his ankle is still sore and in a message Sunday morning on his official Facebook site, he expressed concern for the woman who police say caused the crash.
No one was seriously injured and Phelps will resume training Monday.
Baltimore police said Friday they'll cite the Olympic gold medalist for driving without a license and failure to establish residency in Maryland following a car accident.
Police still say Thursday night's crash wasn't Phelps' fault.
Kelly McPherson has more on the accident given a witness account and the police report released late Friday afternoon.
A car accident turns newsworthy with a superstar involved.
WJZ was the only station to capture Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps giving his police statement minutes after he smashed into another car at East Biddle and Calvert Streets.
"Michael Phelps was the only person who went to her and asked how she was, opened the passenger door, leaned in. He was the only attentive person. Everyone else was taking pictures with their cell phone," said Joe Holland, a witness to the accident.
Baltimore City's police report cites the other driver, Amanda Virkus, with failure to obey a traffic signal resulting in an accident. The penalty she could face is a $180 fine and three points on her license.
Virkus was going north on Calvert Street when police say she ran the red light. Police are relying on one witness testimony of a woman who, they say, did not know yet that Michael Phelps was involved in the accident.
The Olympian, who will be cited for driving with a non-valid Michigan license and for never establishing Maryland residency, faces a $40 fine.
"I realize that Mr. Phelps travels a lot, has a very busy schedule. He's been overseas a lot. It could be an oversight, but it's something he'll have to address with the court," said Anthony Guglielmi, Baltimore Police spokesman.
Phelps' statement says he had left Penn Station. He had one beer two hours before the accident which is something police had to rule out.
"There's a process as far as how much alcohol you consume, how much food you have during that process, what the officers were looking for when they took his witness statement was his behavior, were his eyes glossy? Was his speak slurred?" said Guglielmi.
The 28-year-old's Facebook page says she's from Montgomery County, but works in the Mount Vernon neighborhood.
People who live around in the area see red light violators often.
"Whenever I'm walking or driving I know to wait for the light to be green for five seconds because I know they're going to run it," said Heather Day, a Mount Vernon neighbor.
Virkus was released from Shock Trauma Thursday night.
No court date has been set for Phelps' license citation.
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