March 22, 2024 marks one year since the wreck on I-695 that took the lives of six roadway workers.
Four families were left devastated.
Two of the workers were father and son. Two were brothers.
The deaths of Mahlon Simmons II, Mahlon Simmons III, Jose Escobar, Carlos Escobar, Sybil DiMaggio, and Rolando Ruiz's in a work zone sparked investigations, prosecutions, and a work group to help improve roadway safety.
As part of our In Focus commitment, we're digging deeper into the crash, to explain what happened that awful March afternoon, and what has come out of it.
Watch the full special report here:
RELATED: "Wow, it's really mind blowing:" Six people killed on I-695 after car entered construction zone
While the National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) investigation into the crash is ongoing, their preliminary report, as well as the indictment and news releases from the Maryland State Police help paint a picture of the moments leading up to the crash.
According to prosecutors, 54-year-old Lisa Lea was under the influence while she was driving on the inner loop of I-695 in Baltimore County, just north of the I-70 exit.
Court records say she was driving as fast as 121 miles per hour, where the speed limit was 55 miles per hour, and driving in the left-most lane.
The work zone was on the left shoulder of the highway.
Lea attempted to change lanes and hit the front end of 20-year-old Melachi Brown's car.
Brown, who was also charged, was reportedly going 122 mile-per-hour in the next lane over.
Brown's car was damaged and he pulled over further up the road, but the collision sent Lea's car out of control through an opening in the barrier to the work zone, where her car plowed through the workers and overturned.
Lea was taken to Shock Trauma for serious injuries.
Six highway workers were killed at the scene.
In June, both Lea and Brown were charged with vehicular manslaughter and reckless driving. Brown has since pleaded guilty and his sentencing is scheduled for March 28, where he's expected to get 18 months behind bars.
MORE: Drivers involved in I-695 crash that killed six construction workers charged
Lea's trial is scheduled for July of 2024, delayed from April due to her obtaining a new attorney. If convicted, she faces 78 years in prison.
Meanwhile, the state's top leaders got to work to improve work zone safety in Maryland.
Governor Wes Moore announced a work group to study the issue and make recommendations, which they released in November 2023.
In addition to cultural and administrative changes, the group included legislative recommendations. These became the Lt. Governor's cross-filed Maryland Road Worker Protection Act of 2024.
The bill made it through the House of Delegates but failed to make it out of the Judicial Proceedings Committee before crossover day on Monday, March 18th.
The NTSB is expected to open up the docket with information and evidence gathered in the coming days. The final report is expected to be released between 12 and 24 months following the crash.
Correction: A previous version of this story mischaracterized that the NTSB's final report is expected to be released in the coming days. While that is possible with the NTSB's 12-24 month timeline, what is expected to be posted to their website around the 1-year mark is the docket with evidence and information gathered.