State v. Joseph Eugene Penn, C-08-CR-22-000128
LA PLATA, MD— Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Wednesday, September 13, 2023, Joseph Eugene Penn, 43, of Bryans Road, entered a guilty plea in Charles County Circuit Court, in front of the Honorable Judge William R. Greer, Jr., to the Negligent Vehicular Manslaughter of Inga Person.
On January 20, 2022, an officer located in the area of Smallwood Village Center and St. Charles Parkway attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a Toyota Camry operated by Penn. Penn fled from the officer into a nearby parking lot then drove back onto St. Charles Parkway at a high rate of speed. Another officer responding to the fleeing vehicle observed the vehicle lose control on a curve on St. Charles Parkway, by the intersection of St. Marks Drive, and travel off the left side of the roadway, striking numerous trees. Person was ejected from the vehicle during the collision.
Penn was seen exiting the driver’s door of the vehicle and fleeing into the woods. Emergency Medical Services attempted life-saving measures on Person, but she, unfortunately, succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced deceased.
Numerous officers responded to the area and were able to locate Penn in a nearby neighborhood. Penn was transported to the hospital for a minor injury sustained from the crash.
During the investigation, Penn admitted to seeing the officer activate his lights and he “took off” because he had open warrants and had ingested cocaine. At the time of the incident, Penn had open arrest warrants for failing to appear in court for a Theft over $25,000 charge.
A sentencing date for Penn has been scheduled for October 25, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. He faces up to ten years in prison for this offense.
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