Head Injury

A 7-year-old boy remains in critical condition with a severe head injury after a traffic accident on Christmas night. At about 10 p.m., Anne Arundel police responded to Casuarina Way near Spring Meadow Way in Odenton where a 1997 Acura sedan had struck a parked tow truck. The boy, who had been sitting in the front seat of the Acura, was taken to John Hopkins Children's Center. Police are not releasing his name. The car's driver, Lisa Marie Middledorf, 30, was not injured. Police said preliminary evidence indicates alcohol and driver fatigue contributed to the crash.

A 28-year-old Landover man who was struck in the head with a beer bottle before hitting his head on the ground during a fight in the city's Curtis Bay neighborhood early Tuesday has died from his injuries, Baltimore Police said Wednesday. Cyrill Montel Holland, of the 7500 block of Greenleaf Road, was allegedly involved in a fight with several other men in the 1600 block of Cypress Street about 1:48 p.m. when he was assaulted, police said. As police approached the scene, an "unidentified female" warned the men in the fight that the police were approaching and two men "picked [Holland]

When Ron Ogle talks about traumatic brain injury, he speaks with the passion of someone who has overcome a coma to resume his singing career.And Mr. Ogle says he is determined to keep others from walking the path he's been forced to travel for more than a year."

US Lacrosse President and CEO Steve Stenersen today issued comments on proposed Maryland House of Delegates Bill 1123, which if passed by the Maryland General Assembly would legislate that girls lacrosse players in the state wear protective headgear as per specifications set forth by a state task force. The bill, which was introduced by Dels. Dana Stein and Jon Cardin on Feb. 8, would mandate protective headgear for girls lacrosse programs. Specifically, the bill would target programs organized for the recreational athletic competition or instruction of girls who are under age 19. A spokesperson for Cardin clarified, noting that this would apply to youth recreational programs and public schools, including high schools.

A bicyclist was in serious but stable condition yesterday with a head injury from a fall on Harney Road near Piney Creek Road.James Edward White, 56, of the 1200 block of Meridene Drive in Baltimore, was riding with a group of about 30 bicyclists yesterday morning when he hit a spot where a layer of pavement about 1 inch thick had been removed in preparation for resurfacing.A witness said Mr. White slid for 20 to 30 feet before coming to rest, unconscious.The police report said Mr. White regained consciousness before a helicopter arrived to take him to Shock Trauma in Baltimore.

The death Friday of a 2-month-old infant brought to Johns Hopkins Hospital with a severe head injury was ruled a homicide yesterday by the state medical examiner's office, while her father remained in jail -- held on assault and child abuse charges in the case, authorities said.Police said the victim, Ciera Jenkins, was brought to Hopkins by her father Nov. 29 with the head injury.Doctors treating the girl found other injuries.The father, William Jenkins Jr., 25, of the 2700 block of Dulany St., has been in custody since then -- charged with abuse after questioning by child protective services workers and police.

A photo caption on the front of yesterday's Today section misidentified the Johns Hopkins researchers developing a device to measure the impact of blows to the head. They are, from left, Nicholas Jones, Walter Stewart and Wolfger Schneider.The Sun regrets the error.Imagine your brain, a delicate blob of floating gray matter fragilely moored to the skull.Now, imagine your brain after a ferocious left hook.Not a pretty picture.But one worth examining. While the Journal of the American Medical Association wages a continuing crusade against the sweet science -- a June editorial called for a ban on amateur boxing -- Johns Hopkins researchers have jumped in the ring for a closer look.

A 31-year-old South Baltimore man remained in critical and unstable condition at the Maryland Shock Trauma Center last night after suffering a head injury while being arrested by two city police officers.The incident occurred about 12:30 a.m. Sunday in the 200 block of S. Fulton Ave. as the officers arrested George T. Hite on charges of disorderly intoxication and resisting arrest. Because of the severity of Mr. Hite's injury, a city homicide detective is investigating the incident.Shock Trauma officials declined to discuss details of Mr. Hite's injuries last night, but members of his family said he was in a coma and had little chance of recovering.

Three defensive starters return to practice In addition to the return of nose tackle Ma'ake Kemoeatu and cornerback Jimmy Smith, defensive tackle Haloti Ngata practiced Thursday, according to an injury report released by the Ravens. Ngata, who did not participate in Wednesday's session and was absent during the portion of Thursday's practice open to the media, is trying to overcome a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee and an injured right shoulder suffered in Sunday's 31-29 win against the Dallas Cowboys.

Steve Young took the first hit on his chest, just under his chin and at the top of his red No. 8. Then, in whiplash action, the back of his helmet caromed off a teammate's knee and the grass surface of Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz. Just like that, the intense quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers was revisiting no-man's land last Monday night. Out like a light for several long seconds, Young's past and future conspired to paint one frightening picture of a proud athlete on the edge.

They're big. They're fast. They're strong.  And you can see something else in today's NFL players:  they're scared. Scared about what football might be doing to their brains. Scared about a possible lifetime of migraine headaches, light sensitivity, memory problems and dementia from all the blows to the head they've absorbed in this most brutal of sports. Did you see Haloti Ngata's revealing comments to reporter Childs Walker at baltimoresun.com and in today's Baltimore Sun?

A 40-year-old Edgewood man is being held without bail at the Harford County Detention Center after a New Year's Day fight, with a domestic element, that became a shooting and led a judge to tell the suspect that if ever there was a case that cried out for a person to be held without bail, this was it. David Lamont Gregg, of the 3400 block of Periwinkle Way in Edgewood, is charged with first- and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, use...

A 40-year-old Edgewood man was flown to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center on Tuesday night and was later arrested after a shooting in a domestic dispute in Belcamp, according to Harford County emergency officials. Paramedics responded to the 4200 block of Chapelgate Court for a report of a shooting about 5:50 p.m. and found David Woodfolk, 35, bleeding from a head injury. He told police that David LaMont Gregg, of the 3400 block of Periwinkle Way in Edgewood, had struck him in the head with a handgun, police said.

A 7-year-old boy remains in critical condition with a severe head injury after a traffic accident on Christmas night. At about 10 p.m., Anne Arundel police responded to Casuarina Way near Spring Meadow Way in Odenton where a 1997 Acura sedan had struck a parked tow truck. The boy, who had been sitting in the front seat of the Acura, was taken to John Hopkins Children's Center. Police are not releasing his name. The car's driver, Lisa Marie Middledorf, 30, was not injured. Police said preliminary evidence indicates alcohol and driver fatigue contributed to the crash.

The rib and shoulder injuries that have sidelined Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger indefinitely are a vivid reminder of how fortunate the Ravens have been to have Joe Flacco under center. More than halfway through his fifth season in the NFL - all with the Ravens - Flacco has never missed a start. That's 73 regular-season games and nine playoff contests, and the combined 82 starts are the most to begin a career by a quarterback in league history. Flacco's ability to avoid serious injuries has not been lost on Coach John Harbaugh.

Three defensive starters return to practice In addition to the return of nose tackle Ma'ake Kemoeatu and cornerback Jimmy Smith, defensive tackle Haloti Ngata practiced Thursday, according to an injury report released by the Ravens. Ngata, who did not participate in Wednesday's session and was absent during the portion of Thursday's practice open to the media, is trying to overcome a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee and an injured right shoulder suffered in Sunday's 31-29 win against the Dallas Cowboys.

Annapolis basketball player Elliott DeVoe, who suffered a head injury Monday night at Glen Burnie, was released yesterday from the Maryland Shock Trauma Center. According to coach John Brady, DeVoe is resting at home and is expected to miss a few days of school. -- Pat O'Malley

US Lacrosse President and CEO Steve Stenersen today issued comments on proposed Maryland House of Delegates Bill 1123, which if passed by the Maryland General Assembly would legislate that girls lacrosse players in the state wear protective headgear as per specifications set forth by a state task force. The bill, which was introduced by Dels. Dana Stein and Jon Cardin on Feb. 8, would mandate protective headgear for girls lacrosse programs. Specifically, the bill would target programs organized for the recreational athletic competition or instruction of girls who are under age 19. A spokesperson for Cardin clarified, noting that this would apply to youth recreational programs and public schools, including high schools.

The Ravens' offensive line experienced a rough night, a bout of regression that often left quarterback Joe Flacco lying on the ground. After an encouraging game against the New England Patriots where Flacco wasn't sacked and rarely hit, he sustained several big hits as the offensive line regularly broke down Thursday night against the Cleveland Browns. Flacco was sacked a season-high four times and hit six times by the fourth quarter. During the first half, Flacco was sacked once by quick defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin when left guard Ramon Harewood appeared confused and failed to pick up an inside stunt.

In the days leading up to Friday's final cutdown, third-year linebacker Sergio Kindle was viewed as the highest-profile Raven on the roster bubble. But Kindle survived the final round of cuts for one main reason: his ability to get after the quarterback. “Sergio's potential as a pass rusher is something that's really important,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Tuesday. With Terrell Suggs out with an Achilles injury and rookie Courtney Upshaw still ailing with a sprained shoulder, the Ravens didn't feel they had the luxury of getting rid of a potential pass-rush threat.