Man pleads guilty to fatal Jefferson County DUI crash

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. — A Glen Burnie, Maryland man charged for a fatal DUI crash in Jefferson County has pleaded guilty.

Demetrius Steele, 29, appeared in court Tuesday for a single count of driving under the influence causing death. On May 14, 2017, Steele crashed his vehicle into a stone wall at the intersection of Duke Street and Campus Drive in Shepherdstown.

Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney Matthew Harvey said Tuesday the vehicle was traveling between 60-80 mph when it crashed, based on accident reconstruction by police.

Robert Johnson, 36 of Shepherdstown, was a passenger in Steele’s vehicle. Johnson was pronounced dead at Berkeley Medical Center in Martinsburg.

Steele could face 3-15 years in prison along with a fine. 23rd Judicial Circuit Judge Steven Redding scheduled his sentencing for January 22, 2019 following Tuesday’s guilty plea.

Elias McMillan contributed to this story