Virginia man sentenced in fatal drunken-driving crash on I-81 near Williamsport

A Virginia man was sentenced to five years in state prison Monday after he pleaded guilty to negligent manslaughter by automobile in the March 2022 death of a West Virginia woman due to a drunken-driving crash on Interstate 81.

Washington County Circuit Court Judge Joseph S. Michael sentenced Michael Waylon Maydian, 28, of Covington, Va., to 10 years in prison with all but five years suspended, in the death of Alexandra "Katie" Katelyn Barr, 20.

More court news:Former treasurer sentenced for misappropriating funds from Hancock-area groups

Maydian gets credit for 380 days served at the Washington County Detention Center. When he is released from state prison Maydian will be under probation for five years, including three years of supervised probation.

The maximum penalty for negligent manslaughter by vehicle is 10 years in state prison. The sentencing guidelines in Maydian's case were for two to seven years, with the prosecution asking for 10 years with all but five suspended.

As part of the plea deal, several other charges against Maydian were dismissed.

Michael told Maydian that despite his contrition, and given his previous record, he'll find himself back in court on a probation violation if he "keeps doing what you're doing." Michael said he won't have a problem imposing the remainder of the sentence.

"The court is not angry with you," though Michael said he was upset by the damage Maydian had caused. "I just want to get through to you."

Maydian's previous convictions included sexual battery, assault and speeding, according to the prosecution.

When the judge asked if substance use or alcohol were a "big effect" in Maydian's other charges, defense attorney Seth Okin said alcohol played a role in at least one of them.

While incarcerated at the detention center, Maydian graduated from a program that deals with substance use, Okin said. That allowed him to take a job in the detention center kitchen, Okin said.

Maydian accepted responsibility from the beginning and instructed Okin not to challenge the state, Okin told the judge.

The judge imposed his sentence after hearing from Maydian, Barr's stepmother and the two surviving passengers in the sedan Maydian struck with his truck.

Maydian was scheduled for a jury trial Monday morning. If there had been a jury trial, Michael said another judge would have presided over it.

Michael said he was a deputy state's attorney when the crash occurred and he responded to the scene. He said he remembered seeing a vehicle off the road, but he didn't remember talking to any witnesses at the scene.

The judge said he would have recused himself from the plea hearing, but the defense said it was OK with him presiding.

What we know about the drunken-driving crash on I-81

Assistant State's Attorney Dakota Parrish said several police officers, including Maryland State Police, responded to a crash on northbound I-81 near Williamsport around 3 a.m. on March 6, 2022.

Callers reported a white Dodge Ram pickup struck a Dodge Caliber sedan, forcing it off the road, and fleeing, Parrish said.

A responding trooper saw a northbound truck going about 5 mph away from the scene with heavy front-end damage, Parrish said. When the driver, Maydian, stepped out of the pickup, he indicated to the trooper that he was drunk and said the other vehicle "brake-checked him," Parrish said.

Maydian refused to take a field sobriety test, telling the officer he knew he was drunk, Parrish said. Shortly after 4 a.m., Maydian was tested for his blood-alcohol level, which was 0.17, Parrish said.

In Maryland, a person with a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 is presumed to be under the influence.

Cyrus Jaghoory, an assistant state's attorney and lead prosecutor for the case, said that after the Caliber went off the road, it struck a tree.

Brittany Crouse, Barr's sister and the Caliber's driver, told the judge during her victim impact statement that she crawled to the road to try to seek help because she couldn't walk.

Barr, a backseat passenger in the Dodge Caliber, would later die from her injuries, Parrish said. Tyler Swisher, a front-seat passenger, had significant injuries.

Parrish said the event data recorder in the 2017 pickup recorded the pickup going about 100 mph at the time of the crash. He noted that it might have been slightly lower at 93 mph, based on the tire size.

The sedan was going the posted 65 mph speed limit and there were no indications either vehicle braked at the time of the crash, Parrish said. The pickup's steering wheel was positioned to the left as if the pickup was going to go around another vehicle. The data indicated the pickup sped up prior to the crash impact, Parrish said.

There was a passenger in the pickup who was released at the scene, Parrish said.

Jaghoory told the court that the Caliber's driver, Crouse, had a blood-alcohol level of 0.07. Her driving was not impaired by that and she was not charged, he said.

A victim/witness coordinator with the Washington County's state's attorney office said after the hearing that Crouse and other family members had no comment.

What did the drunken driver and his victims have to say?

Debra Barr, Katie Barr's stepmother since she was 5 years old, held a framed photo of Katie in what appeared to be her cheerleading uniform while she gave her victim impact statement to the judge.

Katie loved cheering and helping others, Debra Barr said. She said she is devastated she won't see Katie fulfill her dream of becoming an EMT or get to hold Katie's children.

"I wouldn't be able to stand here today without God giving me strength" and without the love and support of her community, Barr said.

Barr told the judge she hopes Maydian becomes an advocate against impaired driving. He can ask God to forgive him, she said.

"I hope many other lives are spared in the future because he isn't afraid to speak out," Barr said.

Barr, of Hedgesville, W.Va., said Katie had been working at the Olive Garden in Martinsburg, W.Va.

Katie was declared brain dead two days after the crash and became an organ donor, Barr said.

Maydian at first looked forward while Barr was speaking and could be heard crying. He turned to hear Crouse talking about watching her sister die.

Crouse, 25, who was living in Martinsburg, said she barely sleeps and recently started driving again, but won't go on the interstate. Hitting a pothole gives her a panic attack, she said.

Swisher, 33, of McConnellsburg, Pa., said his brain blocked out the crash and he can only remember about 3 seconds from when he woke up in the car.

Swisher said he's had multiple surgeries and returned to work last month. He said he's slowly recovering.

Okin said Maydian, whose family calls him Waylon, has an associate degree in forest management and was a multisport athlete and student leader. Maydian had done outreach in his community, including storm cleanup and distributing water, and did volunteer work in Mexico through his church.

Referring to Debra Barr's wanting Maydian to "be a light, be a teacher," Okin said Maydian has been doing that while at the detention center.

Standing and turning toward Katie Barr's family and friends, of whom there were over a dozen in court, Maydian said there were no words or amount of time to adequately express his "deepest condolences" to each of them. He cried as he addressed Barr's family.

"I have prayed each and every day for all of you," Maydian said.

He said he thinks of Katie every day and his "unacceptable actions."

"I take full responsibility for everything I did. I made a grave mistake and I have to pay for that," he said.

Some of Katie's supporters in the court gallery looked at Maydian while he spoke, while others looked straight ahead.

Maydian said he was doing work in Woodbine, Md., for a pipeline company last March. He had been staying at the KOA campground in the Williamsport area, commuting to the job, and was heading to his camper at the time of the crash.