Calvert County Sheriff’s Deputy Ryan Campbell will not face criminal charges after a December pursuit that ended in a fatal multi-vehicle crash in Prince Frederick. The Maryland Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division, or IID, found the deputy acted within departmental policy and declined to prosecute in a public declination report released this month. The collision killed 58-year-old Servon Gatewood, and the fleeing driver has been arrested and now faces criminal charges.
Attorney General’s IID Declines To File Charges
According to a declination report from the Maryland Office of the Attorney General, prosecutors concluded there is “insufficient evidence to prove that Deputy Campbell’s decision to pursue the Nissan created an unjustifiable risk that was a gross deviation from the reasonable standard of care.”
The report, dated March 16 with a public release yesterday, lays out a tight, 40-second window. A deputy first tried to stop a car for a broken brake light, the pursuit stretched about 0.8 miles, and investigators estimate the fleeing Nissan topped out at roughly 83 miles per hour. The declination report provides the full factual narrative, including the timing, radio traffic, and legal analysis behind the decision not to charge the deputy.
The Crash And The Charges
The attempted stop began when the deputy tried to pull over a Nissan on Solomons Island Road for an inoperative brake light. The driver did not stop and, seconds later, ran a red light at the intersection of Stoakley Road and Maryland Route 4. The Nissan slammed into a Honda and a stationary SUV.
As reported by WMAR-2 News, the force of the impact fatally injured the Honda’s driver, identified as Servon Gatewood.
Charging documents state the Nissan reached speeds up to 83 miles per hour in a 35 miles per hour zone and that the vehicle carried improper registration. The driver, identified as 32-year-old Savon Q. Samuel of Pikesville, is charged with felony negligent manslaughter by vehicle and related traffic offenses. The BayNet reported the charges and court schedule, and local reporting also notes Samuel’s prior convictions for weapons and driving offenses.
What The Report Says About Officers’ Actions
The IID’s report relies on body-worn camera footage, dispatch audio, and a Maryland State Police crash reconstruction to assess whether the deputy’s conduct crossed the criminal line. Investigators found that Deputy Campbell kept control of his cruiser, activated his lights and siren, radioed dispatch, and stayed several seconds behind the fleeing Nissan.
The report compares that behavior to the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office pursuit policy, which permits pursuits when the need to apprehend a violator outweighs the dangers posed by continuing the chase. According to the document, Campbell’s actions stayed within that policy and did not amount to criminal negligence under Maryland law.
Legal Implications And Next Steps
The IID’s decision not to file charges underscores the high bar prosecutors must clear to charge an officer criminally in a line-of-duty incident. The statute that created the IID gives the Attorney General’s office exclusive authority to investigate police involved deaths and sets notification and cooperation rules for local agencies. For background on the IID’s jurisdiction and the statutory language that authorizes the unit, see the Maryland General Assembly.
With the criminal declaration now public, the Calvert County State’s Attorney is continuing to pursue the case against the driver. Any civil claims by Gatewood’s family would move forward under a lower burden of proof than in a criminal case. The IID has asked anyone with video or information about the incident to contact its office, and the criminal case against Savon Samuel remains pending in district court. The BayNet has the latest court scheduling details.
