WASHINGTON - A 26-year-old Maryland man, David T. Franklin, has been sentenced to 99 months in prison for offenses related to crashing his car into two other vehicles causing injuries to five people, including two small children, while fleeing from police, U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Taylor announced today.

Franklin received his sentence yesterday in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia before the Honorable Harold L. Cushenberry, Jr. In August 2008, the defendant pleaded guilty to three felony offenses: two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon against a minor. He also pleaded guilty to four misdemeanor offenses, including reckless driving and three counts of unlawful possession of ammunition.

The government's evidence established that shortly before 7:00 p.m. on May 23, 2008, a vehicle driven by the defendant on Southern Avenue, Southeast, was believed to have been involved in a shooting. Metropolitan Police Officers in marked police cars attempted to initiate a traffic stop on his car. The defendant refused to pull over and continued to drive a number of blocks, all the while driving over 80 miles per hour, refusing to stop at red traffic lights, and crossing yellow lines in order to pass cars on the left side of the road.

When the defendant arrived at the intersection of 23rd Street and Southern Avenue, Southeast, he did not stop at the red light and crashed head-on into a vehicle that was turning left onto Southern Avenue. At the time of impact, he was driving his vehicle between 86 and 91 miles per hour. In addition to the defendant's car, two other vehicles were involved in the crash. The collision caused injuries to five individuals, including a two-year-old girl, a six-year-old boy, and a sixteen-year-old girl. Many of the victims received significant injuries including broken bones, substantial lacerations, and a concussion. After the crash, members of the Metropolitan Police Department executed a search warrant on the defendant's car and found over one hundred rounds of ammunition of various calibers, as well as 21 zip-lock bags of marijuana.

 In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Taylor expressed his appreciation to the Metropolitan Police Department, and particularly praised the work of Sergeant Robert Mathis, Detective Michael Miller, Officer Michael Milochik, and Officer Joseph Della-Camera. U.S. Attorney Taylor also commended the work of Legal Assistant Richard Cheatham. Finally, he commended Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney Spivey, who prosecuted the case.