PRINCE GEORGE'S CO., Md. - A Maryland man pleaded guilty and was sentenced Thursday in connection with a deadly crash during a 6-year-old girl’s birthday party in Prince George’s County.
What we know:
Sunday Joseph was sentenced on Thursday to 10 years in prison.
He pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident involving a death and to 14 counts of reckless driving, one for each person injured in the crash last October.
Joseph was also sentenced to five years of supervised probation after completing his prison term.
The judge ordered alcohol testing and treatment if necessary and prohibited him from driving.
The backstory:
Joseph is 67 years old and moved to the United States from Nigeria in 2003.
Court records show he had no prior convictions.
His attorneys said he suffers from arthritis, diabetes and numbness in his legs and believes a medical issue caused him to drive backward down Annapolis Road into a birthday party on the front lawn of a home on 56th Avenue in Bladensburg on Oct. 18.
Several people, including children, were trapped beneath the vehicle. Thirty-one-year-old Ashley Hernandez Gutierrez was killed.
Prosecutors say Joseph grabbed the keys and fled the scene.
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Shock turns to grief after deadly birthday party crash
Initial shock has turned to grief after a deadly hit-and-run at a birthday party in Prince George’s County.
What they're saying:
Family members of the victims addressed the court during sentencing.
"The wounds heal, but the wounds inside don’t heal. It’s a constant reminder. It’s a constant nightmare," said one relative, Marquetta Bell.
"She’s in fear every time she walks toward a car now. October 18, 2025, changed these families forever," said Jerome Frye.
Joseph’s wife and other relatives also spoke during sentencing.
They told the judge they were sorry for what happened and said Joseph does not drink alcohol and had never been involved in a traffic crash before.
"There were persons on the scene who said they smelled alcohol. There was not enough evidence to prove impairment under the circumstances of the case," said Prince George’s County state’s attorney Tara Jackson.