Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel sentenced Dontaze Purnell Drake, age 41, of Baltimore, Maryland today to 70 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for involuntary manslaughter.  Judge Hazel also ordered Drake to pay restitution of $12,570.  Drake admitted that he caused a fatal collision on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway on September 24, 2017, at the time of which he was speeding, his blood-alcohol level was over the legal limit in Maryland, and he was driving on a suspended license. 

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur and Chief Robert D. MacLean of the U.S. Park Police.

According to his plea agreement, at approximately 3:00 a.m. on September 24, 2017, Drake caused a fatal collision on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway.  Drake was traveling southbound at approximately 33 miles per hour over the posted speed limit when he attempted to pass a vehicle traveling in the right lane.  Drake struck the rear of an SUV traveling in the right lane.  As a result of the collision, one of the four passengers in the SUV was ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene.  An autopsy determined that the cause of death was multiple injuries sustained in the crash caused by Drake.

Drake’s blood-alcohol level was .12%, which is above the legal limit in Maryland, and he also had .03 mg/L of MDMA, also known as Ecstasy, in his system at the time.  In addition, a search of the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration database revealed that Drake’s license had been suspended.

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur praised U.S. Park Police for its work in the investigation.  Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Hollis Raphael Weisman and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Chimaobim Nwachukwu, who prosecuted the case.

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