Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog
A recent article made one thing clear: The court of Judge William C. Mulford II sees things as they really are. According to the news report, the trial of a Baltimore man was finally concluded with a guilty verdict for the 2007 deaths of two men. Although the defense requested that the man, 20-year-old Nicholan Vakoutis III, be allowed to serve his 18-month sentence at home. As a Maryland auto accident lawyer who represents the families of victims, I understand why the judge declined.
According to the report, it was definitely and emotional hearing, due to the fact that the two deceased men and the defendant were all friends. But Circuit Court Judge Mulford ordered Vakoutis to finish the 18-month sentence imposed following his conviction for the deaths of 16-year-old Justin Wesley of Pasadena and Ronald Jake Houck, 19, of Baltimore.
During the hearing, which was attended by both the Vakoutis’ family and those of his friends, court records show that Vakoutis asked to be allowed to finish the rest of his sentence at home.
The fatal car accident that killed the man’s two friends occurred around 8:30pm on July 27, 2007. According to police, Vakoutis was driving a Toyota Yaris north on Marley Neck Road in Glen Burnie when he lost control. Authorities alleged that the man was driving 85 mph when he spun off the road, up an embankment and into an oak tree.
Grahe died at the scene and Houck died a few days later at the Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. Both Vakoutis and Justin Grahe’s 17-year-old brother, Joshua, were seriously injured.
According to reports, Vakoutis pleaded guilty last January to two counts of vehicular manslaughter as part of a plea agreement that capped the possible sentence at 18 months at the Ordnance Road Corrections Center in Glen Burnie.
Although Vakoutis’ attorney asked the court to allow the defendant to finish his sentence on home detention, Judge Mulford held to the original sentence of 18 months in the Glenn Burnie corrections center.
Judge denies home detention in fatal crash, HomeTownAnnapolis.com, November 12, 2009