Jordan Johnson, a 28-year-old resident of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release for involuntary manslaughter related to a fatal car crash on the Clara Barton Parkway. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis also ordered Johnson to pay $12,000 in restitution to the victim's family.
The sentencing was announced by Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, along with Chief Scott Brecht of the United States Park Police (USPP).
The incident occurred on March 20, 2022, at approximately 4:45 a.m., when Johnson struck two vehicles involved in an earlier collision on the Clara Barton Parkway in Montgomery County, Maryland. One individual from the initial crash died at the scene after being hit by Johnson’s vehicle.
After the crash, Johnson and his passenger left the scene on foot toward Washington, D.C. Law enforcement responded and broadcasted their descriptions to local agencies. The USPP located them about half a mile from where the crash took place.
According to statements provided during the investigation, Johnson’s passenger informed law enforcement that she saw the victim bleeding on the ground as they walked away from the site. Johnson later told officers he left because he believed authorities could identify him through paperwork connected to an apartment complex where he had borrowed the car.
A USPP crash reconstructionist determined that Johnson was traveling between 95 and 99 miles per hour in a zone with a posted speed limit of 35 miles per hour just before impact. The investigation found that this excessive speed prevented him from reacting to stopped vehicles ahead and contributed significantly to causing the crash. The reconstructionist also reported that Johnson drove recklessly throughout his roughly 40-minute trip leading up to the incident.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended USPP’s efforts during this case and acknowledged Assistant U.S. Attorneys LaShanta Harris and Ellen Nazmy for prosecuting it.
Additional information about initiatives and resources from Maryland’s U.S. Attorney’s Office is available at https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
