(Bel Air, Maryland) – Albert J. Peisinger, Jr., State’s Attorney for Harford County, announced today the sentencing of Alexander L. Manuel, 27, Edgewood, Maryland, for two (2) counts of distribution of heroin and two (2) counts of distribution of fentanyl.

BEL AIR, MD (August 27, 2019) – Harford County State’s Attorney, Albert J. Peisinger, Jr. has announced that Carloo Watson was indicted today by a Harford County Grand Jury with two counts of Gross Negligence Manslaughter by Motor Vehicle, two counts of Criminal Negligence Manslaughter by Motor Vehicle, and four counts of Causing Serious Injury while Using a Cell Phone. The indictment stems from an incident involving a tractor trailer, driven by Mr. Watson, which crashed through eleven cars that were stopped on southbound Rt. 24 at the intersection with Ring Factory Road on the morning of March 11, 2019. As a result of the crash, 65 year old Andrew Klein and 7 year old Tripp Johnson, both residents of Harford County, were killed. Four other individuals were also seriously injured.

Gross Negligence Manslaughter by Motor Vehicle is a felony that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years incarceration with a $5,000.00 fine. Criminal Negligence Manslaughter by Motor Vehicle is a misdemeanor that carries a penalty of 3 years incarceration with a $5,000.00 fine. Causing Serious Injury while Using a Cell Phone is a traffic offense that carries a maximum penalty of 1 year incarceration with a $5,000.00 fine.

State’s Attorney Peisinger thanks the Maryland State Police for their investigation of the incident along with the multiple first responder agencies who assisted with the scene and the resulting investigation.

A criminal indictment is merely an accusation of wrongdoing, and a defendant is presumed innocent until the State proves the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Albert J. Peisinger, Jr., State’s Attorney for Harford County, announced today the sentencing of Brandon H. Warfield, 30, Aberdeen, Maryland, in two separate cases. Both cases related to the possession with the intent to distribute controlled dangerous substances. At the time of his arrest in both of these cases, the Defendant was on probation, to the Honorable Kevin J. Mahoney, Judge, Circuit Court for Harford County for possession with the intent to distribute marijuana. Brandon H. Warfield was arrested on November 15, 2017 after an investigation by the Harford County Task Force. He was subsequently convicted on April 8, 2019 after a jury trial before the Honorable Yolanda L. Curtin, Judge, Circuit Court for Harford County. His conviction included the crimes of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and possession of cocaine. At his sentencing on July 23, 2019, Judge Curtin imposed a sentence of fifteen (15) years to serve.

Brandon H. Warfield was also arrested on October 7, 2017 after an investigation by the Aberdeen Police Department. He was subsequently convicted after a five (5) day jury trial before the Honorable M. Elizabeth Bowen, Judge, Circuit for Harford County, on August 9, 2019. His convictions included the crimes of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, possession of cocaine, and possession of paraphernalia. On the count of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, Judge Bowen imposed a sentence of twenty (20) years consecutive to the sentences imposed by both Judge Curtin and Judge Mahoney. A sentence of five (5) years, concurrent to the felony cocaine count, was imposed for the possession with the intent to distribute marijuana. In announcing her sentence, Judge Bowen stated “many offenders see drug offenses as victimless crimes. This is not true. Individuals, families and the communities are the victims.”

Judge Mahoney imposed the balance of Brandon H. Warfield’s sentence, twenty-two (22) months, for violating his probation. That sentence is to be served consecutive to Judge Curtin’s sentence.

The Office of the State’s Attorney for Harford County would like to thank the jurors who deliberated each of the cases. Further, the State’s Attorney’s Office would like to thank the Aberdeen Police Department, the Harford County Task Force, the Havre De Grace Police Department and the Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division for their hard work and dedication in conducting the investigations that resulted in the conviction of Warfield. These cases were prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorneys H. Scott Lewis and Jennifer Jaskulski-Tripp.

Albert J. Peisinger, Jr., State’s Attorney for Harford County, announced today the conviction of Artiis R. Williams, 37, Edgewood, Maryland, for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, possession of cocaine, possession with the intent to distribute heroin, possession of heroin, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a large amount of heroin.