No charges in carroll county police-involved fatal collision

No Charges in Carroll County Police-Involved Fatal Collision

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1 min read
August 6, 2024

BALTIMORE, MD—Attorney General Anthony G. Brown has announced that no charges will be filed against Carroll County Sheriff’s Deputy First Class Kyle Hessler in connection with a fatal vehicle collision that occurred on April 20, 2024.

The decision comes after a thorough investigation by the Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division (IID).

The incident unfolded around 11:30 p.m. on Liberty Road when Deputy Hessler attempted to stop a speeding vehicle driven by Jamal Steele. Steele did not comply, leading to a brief pursuit.

Shortly after losing sight of Steele’s car, Deputy Hessler found that Steele had crashed head-on into an SUV while crossing into oncoming traffic.

The SUV’s driver, Kayla Rodriguez-Garcia, was pronounced dead at the scene, and her passenger sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Steele also suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was hospitalized.

Following an investigation that concluded on July 29, 2024, the IID determined that Deputy Hessler’s actions did not constitute a criminal offense under Maryland law, leading to the decision not to pursue charges in this tragic incident.

Phil Stilton

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