LEONARDTOWN — A Lexington Park man who was told by a deputy one morning that he had no valid license, then was caught driving the same uninsured car about six hours later, will spend six months behind bars.
Daniel Holley Dement, 59, was sentenced last week to one year in jail with all but six months suspended for driving without a license as a subsequent offender, State’s Attorney Jaymi Sterling announced Oct. 27. Circuit Judge Joseph Stanalonis presided. Dement pleaded guilty in August.
Two stops, one day
On the morning of March 20, a St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office deputy stopped Dement and told him his driving status was invalid and that the vehicle he was driving was uninsured, according to the State’s Attorney’s Office.
That afternoon, about six hours later, the same deputy found Dement driving the same vehicle and stopped him in the parking lot of the Lexington Park post office. A registration check showed the car’s tags were still suspended for an insurance lapse and that Dement’s driving status was still invalid. He was arrested.
Cpl. Travis Wimberly of the Sheriff’s Office was the lead investigator, and Assistant State’s Attorney Johanna Mack prosecuted the case.
A repeat-offense penalty
Driving without a license is a misdemeanor under Section 16-101 of Maryland’s Transportation Article. A first offense carries up to 60 days in jail, while a subsequent offense carries up to one year. Dement’s sentence matched that one-year maximum, with half of it suspended. The release did not detail his earlier offense or offenses.
Driving an uninsured vehicle is a separate violation in Maryland, and the state’s Motor Vehicle Administration suspends registrations when insurance lapses. The release did not say whether Dement faced or was sentenced on an insurance charge.
The prosecutor’s message
Sterling framed the case as a public safety issue.
“People who knowingly choose to drive without a license put everyone on the road at risk,” she said. “Taking these motor vehicle offenses seriously, especially when dealing with repeat offenders who continue to disregard the law, is essential to keeping our roads and community members safe.”
She said a valid license shows a driver has met the operational and legal requirements to drive and that unlicensed driving raises concerns about insurance and training.
