Lauryn Kate Donely, 24, Harwood MD was sentenced on June 27, 2022, to 10 years, with 8 1/2 years suspended as part of a plea deal for her role in the death of a Prince Frederick woman and injuries to two other individuals in a March 2021 crash on St. Andrews Church Road in St. Mary’s County, MD.
Donely pleads guilty to negligent manslaughter and received 3 years, and also to two counts of assault which netted 10 years each. The agreement suspended the sentence by 8 1/2 years. The deal results in an 18-month or 547-day sentence in which she was credited for 251 days already served. She was also ordered to complete 250 hours of community service and to stay away from drugs and alcohol.
As part of the plea agreement, the remaining charges(14), she was charged with seventeen in total; were dismissed. Judge Joseph M. Stanalonis placed Donley on house arrest with no driving on Oct. 21, 2021, after serving several months in jail, and the court is considering home detention at a later point in the sentence.
The case stemmed from a 2021 crash on St. Andrews Church Road where Donely’s 2017 Malibu swerved to miss a turning Kia Soul, then struck a 2006 Chrysler. Donely and Sara Marie Tippett were ejected from the vehicle, with Tippett’s injuries being fatal. The driver and passenger of the Chrysler were flown to an area trauma center, while Donely and another passenger, Amber Weaver were also flown to trauma centers. The driver of the Kia was not transported and reported no injuries.
Donely was represented by Kevin McDevitt, Andrew Alpert, and Michael Berman. The case was prosecuted by Laura Jasper for the St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney’s Office.