Two years after a fatal crash that claimed the lives of six highway workers, a Baltimore woman is expected to plead guilty to her role in the crash, Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger confirmed on Saturday.
Lisa Lea is scheduled to appear in Baltimore County Circuit Court on Tuesday for the plea hearing. Her trial was set to begin Monday after being postponed from April. She was indicted in June 2023 on more than 20 charges, including negligent manslaughter and reckless driving.
The crash occurred March 22, 2023, killing Concrete General employees Rolando Ruiz; brothers Carlos Orlando Villatoro Escobar and Jose Armando Escobar; foreman Mahlon Simmons II and his son, Mahlon Simmons III; and KCI Technologies inspector Sybil Lee DiMaggio.
A National Transportation Safety Board investigation found that Lea, as well as another driver, Melachi Brown, were culpable for the accident, which was caused by excessive speeding and Lea’s unsafe lane change. The investigation revealed that the drivers were each driving in excess of 120 mph before the crash and that Lea tested positive for THC, a psychoactive chemical found in marijuana.
Brown pleaded guilty to six counts of felony manslaughter in January 2024 and was sentenced to 18 months in jail, part of which he served on home detention.
DiMaggio’s family sued Lea, Brown, the State of Maryland and the construction company in 2024 over allegations that the work zone was unsafe.
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