Guilty In Rt. 50 Accident

A Queen Anne's County man pleaded guilty Monday to negligent homicide in connection with a fatal crash last year on Route 50 in Davidsonville.

Bruce Woodfield, 53, of Centreville, faces up to five years in prison when he is sentenced Feb. 1 in Anne Arundel Circuit Court. He will receive at least three years of active incarceration, according to his plea agreement.

Assistant Anne Arundel State's Attorney Jason Steinhardt said Woodfield was drinking alcohol the night of May 15, 2014, in Annapolis. At about 11 p.m., he took "psychiatric" medication that isn't supposed to be taken with alcohol due to its effects, Steinhardt said.

Woodfield on Monday said he is on medication for manic depression and schizophrenia.

At about 3:30 a.m. on May 16, 2014, Woodfield was driving a 2001 Lexus ES 300 west on Route 50, with 49-year-old Karen Smith of Annapolis in the passenger's seat, when the car went through a puddle and lost control near Davidsonville Road, Steinhardt said.

Woodfield was taking Smith to a friend's house at the time of the crash, police said in charging documents. Smith, who hadn't been drinking, blew in the vehicle's alcohol interlock device so Woodfield could drive, Steinhardt said.

The Lexus left the road, went into the grass median and began to spin, Steinhardt said. The passenger's side then slammed into the guardrail, causing injuries to Smith that proved fatal, Steinhardt said.

Woodfield and other witnesses called 911, but Smith was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy revealed Smith had trauma to her head, neck, torso and extremities, Steinhardt said.

Police detected a "strong odor" of alcohol on Woodfield, Steinhardt said. He was transported to theMaryland State Police barracks in Glen Burnie, where his blood-alcohol level was .08, Steinhardt said.

Woodfield was placed under arrest and charged with negligent manslaughter, negligent homicide while under the influence, negligent homicide while impaired and other offenses. He pleaded guilty Monday to negligent homicide while under the influence.

A police investigation determined alcohol was a contributing factor in the crash, Steinhardt said, along with rain and wet road conditions. Woodfield has been held on $1.5 million bond since his arrest, according to court records.

Smith left behind two children, according to her obituary

For info about Karen Smith,  go to:  http://davidsonvillenews.blogspot.com/2014/05/karen-smith-dies-in-local-accident.html