Maryland teen charged for driving stolen car that killed Howard County mother
A Maryland teenager has been charged after police said he drove a stolen car and caused a deadly four-vehicle crash on May 10 in Howard County.
Police said the stolen Hyundai was on Guilford Avenue in Jessup when it collided head-on with another car, killing the driver, 69-year-old Bonnie Fuller Griffith.
A 16-year-old from Laurel, Maryland, is facing auto manslaughter charges and vehicle theft, and three other juveniles who fled the scene remain on the loose.
Charged as a juvenile
The teenager has been charged as a juvenile, but police told WJZ Investigates they are felony charges.
Because he is a juvenile, his name and other details are not publicly available.
"Under current Maryland state law, police detectives are not able to interview a juvenile suspect without an attorney present," said Sherry Llewellyn, with the Howard County Police. "So, if that attorney declines, the interview does not happen, which is what is most frequently the situation now."
Asked about the teen suspect's prior record, Llewellyn said, "Juvenile records are sealed, so we don't have a lot of information to provide about a history with this suspect. However, I can tell you that he was known to police."
The teen is now in the custody of the state Department of Juvenile Services.
"Cases like this are especially tragic. This involved four young people, one of whom is now incarcerated," Llewellyn said. "And we have a victim, a 69-year-old woman, who was going about her day, who has died as a result of her injuries—and she's got a family who is mourning that loss."
Rushing to the scene
Charelle Ferguson told WJZ Investigates her husband heard the crash and rushed to the side of Griffith.
"He just wanted to make sure she was OK," Ferguson said. "She was still. She wasn't really saying anything. She wasn't acknowledging him in any type of way, so he was just basically trying to comfort her, to let her know she wasn't by herself and that help was on the way."
WJZ obtained video that shows the stolen Hyundai Sonata crossing the center line and slamming into a Tesla. From another camera, you can see the sedan swerving down Guilford Road, slamming into Griffith's car.
Police said the car was reported stolen days earlier in District Heights, Prince George's County.
"It's heartbreaking. It's heart-wrenching to see this is another accident, another life taken for no reason," Ferguson said.
Ferguson believes the teens should be charged as adults.
"I really hope that something can change," Ferguson said. "I would like the laws to be changed so that children who make 'adult decisions' are treated like adults. I get they are 16, but you made a decision, and not only did you make a decision to take someone's car if it was stolen, but also you took a life that that person can't get back. You can't make up for that. The people who lost her are not going to basically recover from that."
Ferguson said her husband witnessed two other boys and a girl flee the stolen car.
She said her husband did not see the girl help the victim, but the juvenile was looking for her cellphone.
"No, she took off running," Ferguson said. "I don't know how far she got or what the outcome of that was, but that was her main concern, 'My phone, my phone,'" Ferguson said.
Police said once they identify the three teens, they will work with the state's attorney's office to bring the appropriate charges.
Family and friends cope with devastating loss
Griffith was taken to the hospital after the crash, but was pronounced dead.
As friends and family of Griffith mourn her loss, police continue to search for the three teens who fled the scene.
Griffith was originally from Miami, but was living in Columbia, Maryland.
She is remembered as a dedicated dance mom and arts patron, with an "infectious smile, a giving spirit, and a zeal for life."
"She was an incredible friend, and her friends are hurting with the immense hole left by her death," a family friend said. "It is truly Earth-shattering. She was always quick to help those in need and anyone who needed help."
Car thefts and youth crime in Howard County
Despite a 25% drop in vehicle thefts, Howard County has seen a spike in juvenile crime.
In April, County Executive Calvin Ball announced a new council on youth engagement and violence prevention to address an "urgent need" for preventing youth violence.
Recent incidents include a February shooting near the Mall in Columbia that left 16-year-old Michael Roberston dead, and a 15-year-old boy injured, and a separate shooting at the same mall that happened last July, and left 17-year-old Angelo Little dead.
