ELDERSBURG, Md. — A Carroll County Sheriff's deputy won't be criminally charged for a brief car chase that led to a deadly crash.
It all started around 11:30pm on April 20, when deputy Kyle Hessler was on patrol in Eldersburg and spotted a black Infiniti speeding down Liberty Road at 128mph.
The car was going so fast that Hessler quickly lost sight of it, forcing him to end the pursuit after about 40 seconds.
Approximately 12 seconds later, Hessler came upon a two-car collision just prior to the Liberty Reservoir.
A good Samaritan told Hesler the fleeing driver struck an oncoming Honda SUV driven by 22-year-old Kayla Rodriguez-Garcia, of Randallstown.
Garcia died on scene. Her passenger survived.
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According to a Maryland State Police Crash Team report, the Infiniti struck Rodriguez-Garcia head-on at speeds between 96 and 119mph.
The driver of the Infiniti was identified as 33-year-old Jamal Edward Steele, of Randallstown.
Steele's blood alcohol level came back above the state's legal limit. He reportedly admitted to drinking beer and tequila sometime before the wreck.
It turns out the Infiniti he was driving was stolen back in January. Police also recovered two more sets of stolen registration plates inside the vehicle.
In theirdecision to not charge Hessler, the Attorney General's office concluded his "actions during the attempted traffic stop were consistent with departmental policy and did not create an unjustifiable risk that was a gross deviation from a reasonable standard of care."
As for Steele, he's being held without bail on a slew of charges including homicide by motor vehicle while impaired and negligent manslaughter.
He's next due in court on September 10.
Online court records show Steele with an extensive criminal history.
In 2020 he was sentenced to 18 months behind bars for a robbery in Baltimore County.
Then back in 2019 Steele was convicted in Carroll County of felony drug possession. He received a year-long suspended jail sentence.
