An 18-year-old Damascus man is being held without bond at the Howard County Detention Center after Maryland State Police charged him in connection with a fatal rollover crash on Interstate 70 near Lisbon that killed a 32-year-old passenger. John Amare faces multiple counts, including motor vehicle homicide while impaired by alcohol, negligent motor vehicle homicide while under the influence, and negligent manslaughter, following the Monday afternoon crash.
According to WBAL NewsRadio, state troopers were called around 4 p.m. Monday to eastbound I-70 near Morgan Station Road, where a car had rear-ended a box truck. The impact caused the truck driver to lose control, and the truck struck a guardrail before overturning in the median. Sky 11 video captured the aftermath of the truck flipped on its side in the grassy divider.
The crash killed Sakee Ali Davis, 32, of Havre de Grace, who was riding as a passenger in the box truck, per the same report. Shock trauma responders and Howard County emergency crews responded to the scene, and the truck driver was taken to a hospital with unspecified injuries. Investigators later identified the truck driver as 21-year-old Noah Ensminger of Elkton, who was also transported by ambulance for treatment, according to Daily Voice.
Why State Troopers, Not County Police, Are Leading the Case
The crash investigation closed eastbound lanes for approximately four hours while troopers worked the scene, the station's report noted. Maryland State Police also issued other related charges and citations to Amare, though full details on those additional counts have not been released.
Interstate 70 falls outside the jurisdiction of the Howard County Police Department, with primary traffic enforcement and investigative authority on the highway resting with the Maryland State Police Waterloo Barrack, according to Howard County Government policy documents. That division of responsibility is why state troopers, rather than county police, handled the crash investigation and filed the initial charges against Amare.
What Amare Could Face Under Maryland's Vehicular Homicide Laws
Amare's most serious charge, motor vehicle homicide while under the influence of alcohol, is a felony under Maryland Criminal Law § 2-503 punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine for a first offense, according to the Maryland General Assembly. Penalties escalate to as much as 10 years for repeat vehicular homicide or DUI offenders.
The negligent manslaughter count carries its own weight. Gross negligence vehicular manslaughter is classified as a felony under Maryland Criminal Law § 2-209, carrying a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $5,000 fine, according to FrizWoods. Proving that charge requires prosecutors to establish a wanton or reckless disregard for human life.
A Highway Corridor Already Under Safety Scrutiny
The case lands amid heightened attention to impaired driving on Maryland highways. Impaired driving contributes to roughly one-third of all motor vehicle fatalities in the state, causing an average of 158 deaths and 2,743 injuries annually, according to Zero Deaths Maryland data cited by the Maryland Department of Transportation. The state funds a dedicated Maryland State Police unit, SPIDRE, that targets high-risk corridors for impaired drivers and has made more than 4,600 impaired driving arrests since 2013.
Even so, the state has seen recent progress. The Office of Governor Wes Moore announced in February that statewide traffic fatalities dropped 18% in 2025 to 480 deaths, the first time annual road deaths fell below 500 since 2014. Howard County has its own target, aiming to cut its traffic fatality rate by 20% by 2025 and by half by 2040 under its Strategic Road Safety Plan, according to Howard County Government. The Baltimore region, which includes Howard County, still accounts for roughly 40% of the state's traffic fatalities and 44% of serious injuries, averaging 232 deaths a year, per the Baltimore Metropolitan Council.
Amare remains jailed without bond at the Howard County Detention Center as the investigation continues. Open questions remain, including the results of any toxicology testing, whether additional charges will go before a Howard County grand jury, and the timing of a bail review or preliminary court hearing.
