One of the drivers in the six-person incident on the I-695, Melachi Brown, has entered a guilty plea to six counts of felony vehicle manslaughter.
On June 6, Brown went before the judge and was placed in pretrial home confinement. He was told not to drive and not to speak with the families of the victims.
Prosecutors pushed for no bail despite the fact that he has never been arrested before. Brown allegedly claimed officers he was just traveling 60 mph.
However, the evidence indicates that he was moving at 111 mph at the moment of collision and 122 mph in a 55 mph construction zone only five seconds before to the crash.
In court, Brown stated, “I understand the charges; I’m just not sure why I’m being charged with them.”
The state recommended a sentence of 10 years suspended all but three months for each count, for a total sentence of 60 years suspended all but eighteen months, to be served at the local detention facility and to be followed by three years of supervised probation upon release, according to the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office.
The state also suggests that he perform 40 hours of community service and refrain from driving while on probation.
Brown will continue until his sentencing under the same terms and circumstances as his pre-trial release, waiving any pre-trial detention credits at that time.
The date of his sentencing has been pushed back to March 28, 2024.
On April 1, 2024, Lisa Lea, the other driver implicated, will go on trial.
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