Pfc. Brian Maurantonio will not face criminal charges in the January 17 crash that killed a juvenile driver, Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown has announced. The state’s Independent Investigations Division has wrapped up its review and found there was not enough evidence to bring a case. The collision followed an attempted traffic stop of a Honda that fled and ultimately overturned on an eastbound ramp to Broken Land Parkway in Columbia, Howard County.
Investigation and official decision
According to the Maryland Attorney General’s Office, the Independent Investigations Division completed its inquiry on May 11, after which the Attorney General declined to file charges. The IID’s public Independent Investigations Division report lays out a detailed timeline and legal analysis that led to that outcome. The office concludes that, under Maryland law, the officer did not commit a crime.
What footage and records show
Body-worn-camera video and agency records previously released show Maurantonio calling for backup as the car burned and attempting to help at the scene, according to CBS Baltimore. The footage captures the immediate confusion after the wreck, including the officer reporting to dispatch, “It just crashed. It just wrecked out,” while other officers tried to put out flames and locate anyone inside the vehicle. Local coverage has also documented a makeshift memorial near the crash site. Investigators and the Attorney General’s office have not released the decedent’s name, noting that she was a juvenile.
Why prosecutors declined charges
Prosecutors examined whether the officer’s actions met the standard for criminally negligent manslaughter by vehicle, but they concluded they could not prove the kind of gross deviation from reasonable care that the statute requires. The IID report notes that the Honda was traveling well above the posted speed limit, that the officer activated his emergency equipment, kept control of his cruiser, and ended the attempted stop after a relatively short distance. In light of those facts, the office determined the evidence did not support criminal negligence beyond a reasonable doubt.
Broader county context
The Attorney General’s office pointed out that this case is the first of two Howard County police-involved deaths that the IID has reviewed this year. The March 1 shooting death of Alexander Lamorie is still under investigation, as reported by WBAL NewsRadio. County officials and residents alike have been tracking both cases as state investigators work through their findings and legal conclusions. The IID’s declination report in the crash case spells out the legal thresholds that guided prosecutors’ decision.
What to watch next
The declination report is public, and the Attorney General’s office has posted its findings and analysis online, with officials saying they will release additional records in line with existing policy. Hoodline first covered the original crash on January 17 in “Driver Dies Following Pursuit-Related Crash,” and this story will be updated if new developments or formal responses emerge.
