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Authorities make arrests in fatal Maryland rollover

Sometimes it can take months, or even years, for justice to take place. In July 2018, a one-vehicle rollover accident in Maryland caused the death of two children, ages 12 and 13. It was only last week, more than six months after the accident, that authorities have arrested the adults allegedly responsible for the vehicle, a 35-year-old woman and a 40-year-old man, on charges that include criminally negligent manslaughter by vehicle, neglect of a minor and having an occupant under 16 not restrained by a seat belt.

Rainy conditions on a Tuesday afternoon last summer in the eastbound lanes of I-68 near the border between Maryland and West Virginia allegedly caused the driver of the vehicle to lose control and hit an embankment. The force of the collision reportedly caused the vehicle to roll over several times.

Of the six occupants of the vehicle, only the 40-year-old man avoided ejection from the vehicle. The man and the 35-year-old woman were the only adults in the vehicle. The other four occupants were children ranging in age from 5 to 14, none of whom were wearing seat belts, according to reports. In the aftermath of the accident, a 13-year-old boy died en route to the hospital, where a 12-year-old girl involved in the crash later succumbed to her injuries. The current condition of the other children involved in the case is unknown.

There was initial uncertainty as to which of the two adults was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident. As a result of an investigation, authorities ultimately concluded that the 40-year-old man had been driving, even though they report that the 35-year-old woman had initially claimed to be the driver for reasons that remain unclear. 

It can be difficult and time-consuming to obtain justice after a motor vehicle accident, but many victims may find that hiring an attorney to represent them in the case is helpful. 

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