Carl Behler Charged In Crash That Killed Cyclist Arthur Carter, Injured 2 Others In March
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) -- A grand jury indicted the driver in a fatal crash that took the life of a cyclist and injured two others in Annapolis earlier this year.
Carl Behler, 68, was indicted Friday in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court and according to the charges he was under influence of drugs at the time of the crash.
A group of seven cyclists was riding their bikes near the intersection of East College Parkway and Bay Head Road on a Sunday afternoon on March 8 when they were struck by an SUV. The group was returning home from a visit to Sandy Point Park at the time of the crash.
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Police said Behler, who was operating a GMC Yukon, drove over the double yellow line and head-on into the cyclists in broad daylight. He remained at the scene after the crash, admitting to police he was having trouble staying awake after taking a Tylenol PM.
But a blood toxicology report later showed Behler had cocaine, Alprazolam and metabolites for cocaine in his blood system.
Arthur Hertbert Carter, Jr., 59, of Hanover, died from his injuries. Carter was an Air Force veteran, father and grandfather.
Another cyclist, 50-year-old Jeffrey Adler, was left in critical condition with life-threatening injuries. Adler had multiple shattered bones and had to get a limb amputated in order to recover. He spent months in isolation at the hospital due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while his wife and teenage son were home.
Kathleen Hayes, 50, was also injured in the crash.
After appearing in court Tuesday to face the seven charges, Judge Sydney Butcher ordered Behler to be held without bond.
Behler is facing 26 years in prison on seven charges including negligent manslaughter by auto, homicide by motor vehicle and driving while impaired.