Great-grandmom dies of Boulevard injuries

Once Mabel Rose Taylor crossed Roosevelt Boulevard with her great-grandson on that September day, her life was never the same.

Taylor, 68, and her charge, Shane Philson, 7, were struck by a car about 8:20 a.m. Sept. 26, flying into the air before crashing onto the road. Shane was dead 32 minutes later and Taylor was taken to Frankford Hospital-Torresdale in critical condition.

Taylor, who recently had moved from Germantown to Olney, stayed at that hospital until three weeks ago, when she was transferred to Mercy Suburban Hospital in East Norriton, Montgomery County, her family said.

On Friday, the woman with an "easygoing" attitude died at 1:30 a.m. from her injuries, her oldest daughter, Malinda Taylor, said yesterday.

Her injuries included a fractured face and broken bones in her legs.

The driver of the white Toyota Camry, Boris Charnis, 66, of Southampton, Bucks County, was charged in October with involuntary manslaughter, homicide by vehicle, aggravated assault and related charges. Municipal Judge Bradly Moss set bail at $5,000 and Charnis was released.

Charnis will be in court Thursday for a pretrial conference before Common Pleas Judge Benjamin Lerner.

It was unclear whether additional charges would be filed by the district attorney's office in light of Taylor's death.

Charnis' lawyer, Fortunato Perri Jr., said, "Mr. Charnis and his entire family are saddened deeply by this incident." He declined further comment.

Mabel Rose Taylor learned that Shane had died in the accident, but didn't know that an arrest had been made, Malinda Taylor said.

Malinda said she had visited her mother every day and that her sisters Roxanne and Rhonda visited frequently. Another sister, Cherie, lives in Japan.

Funeral arrangements for Mabel Rose Taylor were incomplete yesterday.