Md. woman faces vehicular manslaughter, DUI charges in fatal accident

A grand jury has indicted an Ellicott City woman on charges of vehicular manslaughter in the death of a pedestrian.

Separate indictments served earlier this month also charged the woman and her boyfriend with a series of drug charges, according to officials.

On September 24, around 10:30 a.m., Howard County police said, Brittany R. McElhiney, 28, was driving on the wrong side of Green Clover Drive when she collided with another car. McElhiney's car then drove along the side of the road, hitting pedestrian Robert Dukehart, 78, of Ellicott City.

Dukehart was taken to Shock Trauma, and died on Oct. 20. Police later learned that McElhiney was under the influence of drugs, which were found in her car.

The investigation into McElhiney's drug use ultimately led to the execution of a search warrant Oct. 6 at her home, where she lives with a boyfriend, Richard Debois, 64, police said. There they found more than nine pounds of marijuana, 3.5 ounces of lysergic acid diethylamide, or LSD; three vials of PCP, heroin, concentrated THC, 48 pieces of THC packaged as candy and $500 cash. Scales and additional packaging materials were also found, police said; the drugs found were valued at more than $20,000.

McElhiney and Debois were arrested on drug charges, and McElhiney was released on $50,000 bond and Debois was released on $85,000 bond.

Police said McElhiney and Debois currently remain free on bond.