CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. — A Randallstown, Maryland man has been sentenced for the 2017 DUI crash that killed a Shepherdstown man.
On May 14, 2017, Demetrius Steele, 30, drove with a blood-alcohol level over twice the legal limit. Robert Johnson Jr, 36, was a passenger in Steele’s vehicle.
Court records provided by Jefferson County Prosecutor Matt Harvey indicate Steele was driving over 100 miles per hour while entering the town limits of Shepherdstown on Duke Street. The speed limit on Duke Street is 25 miles per hour.
Steele crashed his vehicle into a stone wall at the intersection of Duke Street and Campus Drive. Investigators believe the vehicle was going 80 miles per hour when it crashed into the wall. The intersection serves as a primary entrance to Shepherd University.
Johnson was pronounced dead at Berkeley Medical Center. Records show Johnson was sober when Steele began speeding.
“He (Johnson) was trapped in a speeding vehicle for the last 29 minutes of his life. Robert pleaded with the Defendant to pull over. He was begging for his life when he was texting his wife that he was about to die. The last communication between Rob and his wife was, ‘almost there’. Then came the impact with the stone wall.”
– State of West Virginia vs. Demetrius Steele
Steele pleaded guilty the day before his trial. He was sentenced Tuesday to a minimum of 3 years and a maximum of 15 years in prison. He must also face a $3,000 fine. He will be eligible for parole in 3 years.
Johnson had five children, was a local nurse anesthetist and basketball coach.