Annapolis, Maryland – A Glen Burnie man was sentenced to seven years in prison Wednesday for striking a young newlywed couple with his vehicle, killing the woman and critically injuring her husband. Austin Keith Seagraves, 21, received a 25-year sentence with all but seven years suspended, and will be under five years of supervised probation upon release, State's Attorney Anne Colt Leitess announced.
"Fidel and Arielle were high school sweethearts who had just married after graduating from college," said Leitess. "They had just purchased their first home and had bright futures ahead. They were going on a pleasant walk for ice cream when their lives were forever changed. The Defendant's actions driving speeding in a 30 mph zone, fleeing the scene and abandoning the two people he injured was horrendous. This sentence holds him accountable for his actions."
The tragic incident occurred on August 24, 2022, just before 7 p.m., when Anne Arundel County police responded to the area of Aquahart Road and Oakwood Road in Glen Burnie following a crash involving a Toyota Camry and two pedestrians. Witnesses reported that the driver of the Toyota had fled the scene, providing photos of him running away. The two passengers in the vehicle also fled but were later detained by authorities.
The victims, identified as 23-year-old Fidel Angel Castro and 22-year-old Arielle Starr Dryden-Bera, were found in a lot on Aquahart Road. Castro was transported to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center with life-threatening injuries, while Dryden-Bera was pronounced dead at the scene.
Nearly an hour after the crash, Seagraves returned to the scene with family members. Investigations revealed that Seagraves had been driving over 50 miles per hour in a 30-mph zone on Aquahart Road. He lost control of the vehicle, overcorrected to avoid a curb, and veered onto the sidewalk, striking the couple. Seagraves then covered his head with his shirt to conceal his identity and fled the scene without calling for help or assisting the victims. The passengers also left without offering aid.
Further investigations determined that Seagraves, who did not have a driver's license, was distracted while speeding, leading to the crash.
On May 19, 2023, Seagraves entered a guilty plea to charges of Negligent Manslaughter by Automobile, Leaving the Scene of a Personal Injury Accident, and Leaving the Scene of an Accident Involving Death. The prosecution, led by Assistant State's Attorney Carolynn Grammas, was conducted on behalf of the citizens of Anne Arundel County with the Honorable Stacy McCormack presiding.
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