A Glen Burnie, Maryland, man faces sentencing in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court, after pleading guilty to causing a motor vehicle accident that seriously injured three people.
Police said the man had told them he was late for his nephew’s birthday party, so he traveled at speeds of nearly 90 mph at times, passing cars in an erratic fashion. His Mercury Cougar crashed head-on into a Toyota Corolla carrying four people.
He pleaded guilty to reckless driving. Prosecutors said the man could not face more serious charges because he was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the accident. But that does not mean that he was not driving dangerously and negligently. He could still be held liable in a personal injury lawsuit.
According to officials, the man sped down the westbound side of Marley Neck Boulevard in Glen Burnie at 88 mph. He passed several cars, and at least two drivers told police the man had cut them off.
As he crossed the passed another car, he collided with the Toyota. He did not have his seat belt fastened and was ejected from the car, which led to serious injuries.
The driver of the Toyota received minor injuries, but his wife, mother-in-law and preschool-age daughter sustained injuries that required hospitalization.
His wife suffered a brain injury that required surgery and the removal of part of her skull. The prosecutor said the woman has yet to recover fully. Her mother, then 69, sustained a broken leg and hip and now requires a cane to walk. The child has since made a full recovery from injuries, which included several skull fractures and cuts to her face.