Suspect Pleads Guilty to Vehicular Manslaughter at 105 Mile Per Hour

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A man pleaded guilty in a Sept. 18 hearing to driving 105 miles per hour on the 3600 block of Northern Parkway, striking a vehicle stopped at a traffic signal, and killing a passenger.

Jose Orellana, 28, is charged with vehicular manslaughter and gross negligence, driving while under the influence, going through a red light and excessive speeding. Before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn, Orellana pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter and gross negligence, saying how sorry he was and that he meant no harm.

On April 23, 2022, Orellana was clocked at 107 miles per hour slowing slightly before impact.The victim was pronounced dead the next day due to the severity of his injuries.

The victim’s daughter was driving the impacted vehicle that day. She said she saw Orellana attempting to engage her in a race as he swerved drunkenly through traffic.

Orellana was driving a white Honda Civic that police later found totaled with a cold, empty Heineken’s beer glass inside. He said via a translator Wednesday that he didn’t remember the incident just surgery for his damaged neck.

In an statement to the court Orellana said, “I know [the victim’s family] isn’t doing well because of this. I know the suffering I caused… I want to apologize from the bottom of my heart… Another family is suffering because of this. My sister, my brother, my mama are all very saddened. I am truly sorry. I didn’t mean to do anything.”

Anuoluwapo Lawrence, Orellana’s defense attorney, and the prosecution agreed on a plea deal of the maximum sentence of 10 years, suspending all but five, with three years of supervised probation. Judge Phinn concurred and adding alcohol addiction treatment as a requirement while on probation.