Off-duty Prince George's County officer pleads guilty to manslaughter in crash that killed court bailiff

PGPD officer under investigation after fatal crash in Brandywine

An off-duty Prince George’s County police officer has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in connection with a July 2025 collision that killed a county court bailiff.

Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Tara H. Jackson announced that 35-year-old Anthony Coleman entered a guilty plea to criminally negligent manslaughter by motor vehicle.

Timeline:

The conviction stems from a fatal collision along Route 301 in July 2025 that killed Carlton Herndon, a bailiff with the Prince George’s County District Court. Maryland State Police investigators determined Coleman was off duty, speeding, and under the influence of alcohol while driving his personal Ford F-250 northbound.

Investigators said 56-year-old Carlton Herndon of Clinton was attempting to cross Route 301 in a Nissan Maxima when Coleman's truck struck his car. Herndon was pronounced dead at the scene. Herndon served as a bailiff for the Prince George’s County District Court and was a retired Metropolitan Police Department detective.

Coleman refused medical treatment at the scene and was subsequently placed on administrative leave with pay by the department following the wreck.

What's next:

Coleman is scheduled to appear in court for sentencing on Friday, Feb. 5, at 2 p.m.

The Source: This article was written using information from the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office, Maryland State Police and previous FOX 5 DC reporting.

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