State v. James Anthony Christian, C-08-CR-20-000031
LA PLATA, MD— Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, Charles County Circuit Court Judge Amy J. Bragunier sentenced James Anthony Christian, 46 of Bryans Road, to 25 years in prison for Motor Vehicle Manslaughter and 4 counts of Second-Degree Assault. Christian entered a guilty plea to the aforementioned charges on May 11, 2021.
Covington, commenting on the sentence said: “Destanee is gone and there is no remedy for that. I am gratified, however, that the Court imposed a very significant sentence for this drugged driving case. Given his behavior and total lack of concern for anyone else on the road that day, the defendant, quite frankly, earned this sentence. The impact on him is unfortunate, but it is not the end of his life – and remember he caused it. He will come home one day. Destanee, on the other hand, will never come home. Her family will never see her smile again. Christian caused that too. 25 years is appropriate.”
On October 14, 2018, troopers from the Maryland State Police responded to Maryland Route 6, west of Burch Road in Port Tobacco for the report of a two-vehicle collision. Upon arrival, troopers observed a Maroon 2015 Nissan Rogue with severe front-end damage on the westbound shoulder of Route 6 and a Black 2014 Chevrolet Cruze with severe rear-end damage in a private driveway. Deputies from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office and members of the Waldorf Fire and Rescue Squad were already on the scene.
When troopers made contact with the operator of the Nissan Rogue, later identified as Christian, he appeared intoxicated and confused. Troopers detected a strong odor of marijuana emitting from the Nissan Rogue and observed a clear plastic bottle containing burnt tobacco cigarettes located inside the vehicle. The cigarettes appeared to be soaked in Phencyclidine (PCP).
An investigation into the collision revealed that a Chevrolet Cruze, operated by Tiauna Quarles and occupied by Destanee Keenae Lyles, as well as three other passengers, was traveling Eastbound on Maryland Route 6. Ms. Quarles had just left her driveway and was taking Destanee Lyles and two of her friends back to college in Virginia. A Nissan Rogue, operated by Christian, was also traveling eastbound on Maryland Route 6 and approached the Chevrolet Cruz from behind. Christian attempted to pass the Chevrolet Cruze, however, failed to control his speed in order to avoid a collision. The right front of the Nissan Rogue collided with the left rear of the Chevrolet Cruze.
The impact caused the Chevrolet Cruze to rotate clockwise and collide with a ditch. As a result, the rear axle became separated from the vehicle. The Chevrolet Cruze came to a final rest in a private driveway. Christian’s vehicle also rotated clockwise but came to a final rest on the roadway. The vehicle caught fire as a result of the collision but was extinguished by a Charles County Sheriff Deputy. At the time of impact, Christian was driving 109 miles per hour.
The occupants of both vehicles were transported to the hospital due to injuries sustained during the collision. Lyles, who was in the rear seat of the driver’s side of the Chevrolet Cruze, unfortunately, succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced deceased at the University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center. She was only 18 years old.
It was later determined that Christian was involved in a hit-and-run incident before the deadly collision. Also prior to the crash, he forced another vehicle off the roadway and almost side-swiped yet another vehicle just before the fatal crash. One driver correctly estimated that Christian was traveling more than 100 mph just moments before the collision.
A blood sample taken from Christian indicated he had PCP in his system at the time of the incident.
During sentencing, in a packed courtroom filled with Destanee’s family and friends, the prosecutor told the judge, “This man is 46 years old and has been using PCP since 2010. He has been afforded probation. He has been afforded treatment. At this point, the opportunity has passed. Enough is enough. The community and justice demand he be incarcerated for 25 years. He put so many lives in danger. He took the life of an 18-year-old and almost four other lives. The defendant’s history, coupled with his behavior in this case, and his actions after it, warrant the twenty-five years.”