Thread: Fort Meade Marine's Death | Lance Corporal James Ray Walden III

Fort Meade Marine's Death Sends Crofton Speeder To Prison | Lance Corporal James Ray Walden III

https://patch.com/maryland/crofton/f...speeder-prison

A Crofton driver has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge in the death of a Marine from Illinois who was stationed at Fort Meade.

Summary:
August 23, 2017

GAMBRILLS, MD — A Crofton driver who reportedly was going 30 miles over the speed limit when his car fatally struck a Marine stationed at Fort Meade has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of failure to remain at the scene of an accident resulting in death. The victim—Lance Corporal James Ray Walden III, 21, of Peoria Heights, Illinois—died Feb. 24, 2017, when his Yamaha motorcycle was struck by Martin Martinez-Ballinas, 29, of Crofton.

Martinez-Ballinas was originally indicted in April on two felony counts, including automobile manslaughter and related charges by an Anne Arundel County grand jury in Walden's death. Martinez-Ballinas was ordered then to remain in custody without bail at the Anne Arundel County Detention Center after a court denied his motion seeking his release. Prosecutors argued that Martinez-Ballinas should remain in custody because he did not provide credentials establishing his lawful presence in the United States, his foreign passport, and his failure-to-appear for an earlier unrelated charge.

Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge Laura S. Kiessling sentenced Martinez-Ballinas to six years in prison and five years of supervised probation upon release.