D.C. Man Pleads Guilty To Involuntary Manslaughter In Connection With A Fatal BW Parkway Crash In June
GREENBELT, Md. (WJZ) -- Darnell E. Bassett, age 24, pleaded guilty Wednesday to involuntary manslaughter in connection with a fatal crash on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway on June 24.
According to the plea agreement, Bassett's car collided with a District of Columbia Metropolitan Police cruiser, disabling the cruiser in northeast Washington, D.C.
Bassett then continued driving at high speeds while going the wrong way on a one-way street.
Another police vehicle pursued Bassett with its lights and siren on but Bassett did not stop, instead, he headed out of DC toward Maryland on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway.
Bassett was driving northbound on the BW Parkway at high speeds, passing other vehicles by driving on the right shoulder of the highway when one of his tires blew out.
While driving about 70 miles per hour, Bassett merged to take the right-side exit ramp to the inner loop of Interstate 495, then merged left across the on-ramp into the triangular painted safety zone between the ramp and the travel lanes when he hit a Honda CR-V, parked in the safety zone.
Officials said the Honda spun around and then turned onto its side, leaving the driver of the Honda dead on the scene.
Bassett faces a full sentence of eight years in prison, and his plea agreement requires him to pay restitution for the victim's losses, injuries, vehicle, funeral and burial.
Bassett's sentencing for November 27 at 2:00 p.m.
Written By WJZ Apprentice Ju'waun Morgan
