On Thursday evening, the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney and the Victim/Witness Assistance program will be honoring the first recipient of the “Molly Gill Award” in Stafford.
Molly Gilly was a 15-year old girl that was involved in a horrific drunk driving accident in 1995 in Stafford.
Jeff Jones, a 17-year old man – the driver of the car – was leaving his sister’s wedding, while intoxicated, said Commonwealth Attorney Eric Olsen.
According to Olsen, Jones was driving on Brooke Road and crashed and flipped the car several times, killing his girlfriend and young sister.
The accident also left Gill with a severe spinal cord injury that made her quadriplegic, said Olsen.
“I got to meet and get to know Molly Gill, and I was always impressed with how this young girl rose above what happened to her…she decided she was going to be a survivor, and not a victim,” said Olsen.
Jones was later tried as an adult on two counts of vehicular manslaughter, and was convicted.
Gill died a few years after the accident, during a surgery related to her injuries.
In order to commemorate Gill, and honor crime victim survivors in Stafford County, the “Molly Gill Award” will be given once each year to a crime victim that exemplifies resiliency and courage.
“[Previously] we didn’t have any way of recognizing [Molly’s resilience] other than in a personal way every day with our victims…it occurred to me that it was time to have public recognition for that type of resilience and perseverance,” said Olsen.
This year, the award will be given at the Stafford County Board of Supervisors chambers on Courthouse Road from 6:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Additionally, Stafford will celebrate National Crime Victim’s Rights Week every year.
According to Gill’s father – Tom Gill – their family appreciates the gesture of naming the award after Molly.
“We feel very fortunate, and we also are honored to have Mr. Olsen make the decision to [name the award after] Molly and it was a very nice gesture,” said Gill.
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