A motorist who struck and killed a man riding a bicycle was convicted of manslaughter on Sept. 24.
The previous day in closing arguments before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Althea M. Handy, parties debated the evidence against Lamar Mills, 39 who accidentally killed a cyclist. The defense argued the case should have been settled in a lawsuit.
Mills was accused of negligent vehicular manslaughter and criminal negligent manslaughter. He was convicted on the former count. The incident stemmed from the death of David Herman, 58 on July 4, 2025 on 4700 block of Garrison Boulevard.
According to court documents, on the day of the incident, Mills was reportedly driving a Jeep Wrangler some 20 miles-per-hour over the 25 miles-per-hour speed limit on Garrison Boulevard, a four-lane road. The victim, meanwhile, was on a bicycle riding on the shoulder when he moved into the main road. That’s when, according to the prosecution, Mills struck Herman with his vehicle. As a result of the impact, the victim was hurled ten feet in the air and thrown 20 feet down the road.
The state called its last witness, a board certified medical examiner and pathologist, certified in five states. The examiner told the jury that she performed both internal and external examinations on the victim as well as a toxicology report.
She concluded the victim suffered blunt force trauma to the skin, bleeding under his scalp and in his skull.
In addition, the examiner found fractured ribs, extensive trauma to his lungs, as well as liver and spleen. The examiner determined these injuries were rapidly fatal.
The left side of the victim’s chest was caved in and his ribcage unable to protect his lungs, which were torn, making it harder to breathe. The victim’s toxicology report was negative.
Ultimately, the examiner ruled that the death from a medical point of view was an unintentional accident, not a homicide.
During cross-examination defense attorney Marci Johnson questioned whether the Jeep’s impact was immediately fatal. The examiner said the impact to Herman’s head was not the immediate cause of death, rather the wounds to his ribs, lungs and spleen. Further, the examiner confirmed the victim suffered from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), making it difficult to breathe.
Emphasing, a key point, Johnson asked the examiner, “In your expert opinion, do you think this was an accident?” The examiner replied, “Yes.”
The defense and the prosecution proceeded to closing arguments.
Using a PowerPoint the prosecutor emphasized that the first witness didn’t think the victim saw Mills approaching before the accident. Also, according to the prosecution’s reconstruction expert, “if the defendant was going the speed limit, the victim would have made it across the street.”
In conclusion, the prosecutor said if you find Mills negligent, what Herman did was not a factor.
In the defense closing, Johnson acknowledged what happened was tragic but an accident.
She noted that when the police arrived, the defendant was on the ground holding the victim’s hand.
She also said the reconstruction expert only used one standardized method to determine Mills’ speed. In fact, the lead officer confirmed Herman actually had more violations in the accident than the defendant in that he didn’t signal before he entered the road and wasn’t wearing a helmet.
Johnson also challenged the jury to find any speed limit signs near the scene, and to consider when a person speeds is negligence?
She said this case was “outrageous” and should have been a lawsuit.
The prosecutor redirected saying the jury wasn’t brought here because everyone speeds.
Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 23
