December 30th, 2014 by WCBC Radio
The first female bishop at the Episcopal Church of Maryland was the driver in a hit-and-run crash that killed a bicyclist in Baltimore.
Bishop Suffragan Heather Cook, who's in the diocese's No. 2 spot, was driving the car that hit 41-year-old Tom Palermo on a sunny Saturday afternoon, diocese spokeswoman Sharon Tillman said. Palermo died at a nearby hospital.
Today, the diocese issued the following statement:
"One of the core values of the Christian faith is forgiveness. We cannot preach forgiveness without practicing forgiveness and offering people opportunity for redemption.
As part of the search process, Bishop Cook fully disclosed the 2010 DUI for which charges were filed resulting in a 'probation before judgment.' After extensive discussion and discernment about the incident, and after further investigation, including extensive background check and psychological investigation, it was determined that this one mistake should not bar her for consideration as a leader.
We, too are all filled with questions for which there are still no answers, and we are all filled with anger, bitterness, pain and tears. Our thoughts and prayers right now are with Mr. Palermo, his family and friends, and the bicycling community. And, we continue to pray for Bishop Cook in this time of her tremendous grief and sorrow."
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