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Lexington Park resident Ashley Nicole Nolan has been charged in an 18-count indictment by the Circuit Court for offenses that include negligent manslaughter for the March crash.
At approximately 1:45 a.m. on Saturday, March 16, units from the sheriff's office on patrol were called to the intersection of Point Lookout Road and Chingville Road in Leonardtown, where they found a Honda Odyssey upside down after rolling over and coming to rest under a tree.
Investigators say that Nolan left the roadway after failing to negotiate a turn, overturning multiple times, with three improperly restrained minors inside the SUV, two of whom were ejected and taken to area trauma centers with life-threatening injuries.
A third was pronounced dead at MedStar St. Mary's Hospital, where Nolan was treated and evaluated for minor injuries.
Nolan was charged with:
- Negligent manslaughter by auto/boat/other vehicle;
- Two counts of negligent homicide as a result of operating an auto/boat/other vehicle while under the influence;
- Homicide as a result of negligent operation of a motor vehicle or vessel while impaired by alcohol;
- Five counts of life-threatening injury while operating a motor vehicle or boat under the influence;
- Life-threatening injury while driving or operating a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol;
- Two counts of causing a life-threatening injry as a result of operating a motor vehicle or boat in a criminally negligent manner;
- Driving or attempting to drive a vehicle while under the influence;
- Driving or attempting to drive a vehicle while under the influence per se;
- Three counts of driving or attempting to drive a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol while transporting a minor;
- Driving or attempting to drive a vehicle while impaired by alcohol.
She was held at the St. Mary's County Detention and Rehabilitation in Leonardtown, pending a bond hearing.
"No day should ever begin with news like this," St. Mary's County Sheriff Steve Hall said after the crash. "It is both difficult to process and to believe.
"Based on the preliminary investigative information, decisions were made that have caused the loss of the innocent and marred the lives of families in our communities forever.”
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