Maximum sentence for Maryland driver in crash that severed police seargeant's legs

Man sentenced for Montgomery County crash that left officer without legs

A Montgomery County judge has imposed the maximum possible sentence for a driver who was convicted of hitting a police officer in a 2023 crash.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - A Montgomery County judge has imposed the maximum possible sentence for a driver who was convicted of hitting a police officer in a 2023 crash.

What we know:

Raphael Mayorga was sentenced to 22 years and 60 days, the maximum sentence. 

The backstory:

Mayorga was found guilty in April of second-degree assault and a dozen other charges connected with his actions the morning of October 18, 2023 that led to Montgomery County Police Sgt. Pat Kepp losing both of his legs in a crash. 

On October 18, 2023, police say Mayorga was seen doing doughnuts in his lime-green Dodge Challenger, getting on and off of the highway wildly, swerving and speeding. After he nearly ran another car off of the road, police made the decision to deploy stop sticks.

Prosecutors say Kepp was standing in the left lanes of northbound I-270 in Gaithersburg, about to deploy stop sticks to stop the vehicle, which was going 162 miles an hour — three times the posted speed limit.

Mayorga his Kepp and continued driving until he was stopped by a second set of stop sticks which disabled the vehicle.