State v. Dominick Jermaine W Hawkins, C-08-CR-25-000605

LA PLATA, MD— Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, Charles County Circuit Court Judge H. James West sentenced Dominick Jermaine W Hawkins, 19, to 38 years in prison for the Felony Murder of Baxter O’Henry Hubbard, Grossly Negligent Manslaughter: Vehicle, as well as related charges. Hawkins will be on supervised probation for a period of five years upon his release. If he violates the terms of his probation, he faces a potential sentence of life in prison.

On August 28, 2026, a Charles County jury found Hawkins guilty of the above charges.

On December 3, 2024, officers with the Maryland Transportation Authority Police, La Plata Police Department and Charles County Sheriff’s Office received a broadcast alerting them to a vehicle pursuit originating in King George, Virginia and entering Maryland. The vehicle, a 2017 Kia Forte, was traveling at approximately 120 miles per hour after its occupants allegedly committed an armed robbery at a Sheetz in King George County. A King George County Sheriff’s deputy was pursuing the vehicle as it entered Maryland.

In an effort to stop the vehicle, officers deployed stop sticks at locations south and north of Maryland Route 6.

Hawkins, who was driving the Kia, struck two sets of stop sticks before running a red light in the Town of La Plata. The Kia then collided into the rear of a Honda CR-V that was making a left turn from Port Tobacco Road onto Northbound U.S. Route 301, causing the Kia to veer into the median and collide with multiple trees and a metal guardrail. The Honda was forced to the right and struck a concrete curb.

All individuals involved in the collision were transported to area hospitals. Hawkins and the driver of the Honda survived their injuries. Hubbard, who was 16 years old and seated in the front passenger seat of the Kia, succumbed to his injuries on December 5, 2024.

The investigation determined that Hawkins caused the collision by attempting to flee from the police at a high rate of speed and running a red light.

Investigators also determined that the Kia Hawkins was driving had been stolen prior to the armed robbery.

At sentencing, Assistant State’s Attorney Cody Ballard, told the judge “The defendant’s actions that night warranted a substantial amount of incarceration.” He furthered, “This was more than an accident. This was a blatant disregard for public safety. He was out of control, and his behavior is indicative of a person out of control. Mr. Hubbard’s life was taken because of the defendant’s actions.”

Before sentencing Hawkins to 38 years, the Honorable Judge West said, “There are so many aspects of this case that are just tragic. What I saw was as reckless as someone could be, [you were] given every opportunity to call it off. There is no real good explanation for anything that happened.”

Sentence

Count 1 – Felony Murder
• Life suspend all but 30 years

Count 2 – Grossly Negligent Manslaughter
• 10 years
• Concurrent to Count 1

Count 3 – Fleeing and Alluding Resulting in a Death
• 5 years
• Consecutive to Count 1

Count 11 – Second-Degree Assault
• 3 years
• Consecutive to Counts 1 and 3