Critically injured when a stolen car fleeing police pursuit last month struck his car, Darius Gore died last night at the hospital, his mother Rowena Simmons said.

Gore, 28, had been in a coma as a result of what Simmons has said was an unnecessary high-speed chase by Baltimore Police that violated the agency’s own policy governing when such pursuits are justified.

Simmons said she was informed of her son’s death Friday night by staff at the Baltimore hospital where she has been unable to visit him due to Covid-19 restrictions.

His death came as a surprise to her because she had been able to see and talk to him via FaceTime the day before.

“I talked to him. He opened his eyes,” she said, sobbing, in a brief interview with The Brew. “I thought he was doing better.”

BPD Responds

Baltimore Police, who said last week the investigation into the incident has not been completed, have not responded to a request for comment today.

UPDATE: “The status of the person struck hasn’t been forwarded to the Media Relations office as of yet, however, if that information is accurate, our heart felt condolences and prayers go out to the family,” BPD spokesman James Moses said.

“To my understanding, the Crash Team investigators have just completed their investigation and have turned their findings over to our Public Integrity Bureau who will determine if any BPD policies were violated.”

The collision took place at the intersection of Liberty Heights and Calloway avenues. Gore had been on the way to Sinai Hospital the day the crash occurred, driving a friend to work there.

Police charged Delisa Ann Dello-Stritto, 28, with four counts of second-degree assault and one count each of reckless endangerment, unauthorized removal of property and theft between $1,000 and $25,000, according to online court records.

“It’s tragic,” Simmons’ attorney, Nikoletta Mendrinos, said today, noting that she will be requesting that an autopsy be performed.

Simmons, who was prevented from being at her son’s side by Covid-19 restrictions at the hospital, said she is confronting them now as she makes final arrangements.

Under the policy at the funeral home she is using, only 10 people may be in the building at a time.