Crime & Safety

Woman Sentenced to Jail in Fatal Ellicott City Collision

A Carroll County woman will serve no more than five years in jail after pleading guilty to negligent manslaughter after a fatal collision in Ellicott City.

A Carroll County woman will spend no more than five years in prison after her car crashed into a couple on a motorcycle, killing a 68-year-old Ellicott City woman.

Today in Howard County Circuit Court, , 23, of Hampstead was given a 10-year sentence, with all but five years suspended, for negligent manslaughter by auto vehicle. This was Walsh's second alcohol-related driving offense. Walsh has listed addresses in Owings Mills and Hampstead on court records.

On June 11, 2010, Walsh was driving in W. Friendship when, according to witnesses, she drove into the motorcycle, driven by 74-year-old Antonio Amato. His passenger and wife, 68-year-old Cecilia Amato later died from her injuries.

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Walsh will also be placed on supervised probation for five years after her release from prison and an ignition interlock will be put on her car.

In court, Judge Diane O. Leasure said that although Walsh "did not set out to injure someone," she demonstrated "poor judgment," according to T. Wayne Kirwan, director of community Justice and public information at the Howard County State's Attorney's Office.

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Walsh told the court that “the feeling of grief and pain never go away,” Kirwan said. She said that she plans to become an addictions counselor. 

Cecilia Amato's husband, Antonio Amato, was at the sentencing Kirwan said, but did not testify.

The headline in this article has been edited to indicate that the collision was in Ellicott City.


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