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By
Yihan Zhao [former]
- July 23, 2021
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During a bail hearing on July 23 at the Baltimore City Circuit Court, a defendant charged with vehicular manslaughter received an unsecured cash bail for his involvement in a street race that led to the death of a passenger.
According to a press release, on Aug. 8, 2020, 34-year-old Baltimore resident Brandon Gross was speeding in his vehicle along with two other vehicles driven by two other men. The race led to a triple car crash, causing one of the men’s cars to catch fire. The passenger in the man’s car, Keyona Thomas, was taken to a local hospital, where she died from her injuries.
Gross is charged with a traffic violation, vehicular manslaughter, and vehicular manslaughter with criminal negligence.
Defense attorney John Hammann tried to convince Judge Robert K. Taylor Jr. to give Gross the same bail as the driver who crashed, who was released on a $25,000 unsecured bail. Hammann reasoned that Gross did not cause the death of Thomas because he was the furthest away from the car the victim was inside. He argued that the driver of the car that crashed should be charged. According to Hammann, police found that the driver was intoxicated and had marijuana in his system.
Judge Taylor informed Hammann that the driver’s bail will play little role in his decision-making because he did not make the ruling on that case.
The prosecution argued for Judge Taylor to continue to issue holding without bond because Gross is a danger to the community. The prosecution added that everyone involved in a street race is part of the danger, regardless of whether they directly caused the victim’s death.
Judge Taylor agreed that since Taylor is charged with vehicular manslaughter with criminal negligence, participating in a street race that put the victim in danger and led to her death was enough.
Judge Taylor granted Gross $185,000 unsecured cash bail based on the nature of the incident and Gross failing to appear in court for a prior case.
Gross is scheduled for an arraignment on Aug. 6.