District Heights Man Convicted for Involuntary Manslaughter in Fatal Baltimore-Washington Parkway Car Crash

Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal jury convicted Anthony Lamont Payne, age 27, of District Heights, Maryland, today for involuntary manslaughter in connection with a fatal car crash that occurred on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway on March 20, 2015.  The jury acquitted Payne of second degree murder.

“The evidence showed that Anthony Lamont Payne threatened the victim with a gun, then chased his car on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway at speeds of up to 115 miles per hour,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “Payne’s atrocious criminal conduct caused the tragic death of Terrance Terrelle Lagrue, a 19 year old man.”

The conviction was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Chief of Police Robert D. MacLean of the U.S. Park Police.    

According to evidence presented at the four day trial, Payne caused the death of the victim on March 20, 2015, following a high-speed chase on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. Two eyewitnesses testified that Payne pointed a gun at the victim both before and during the chase on the Parkway. According to trial testimony, the victim’s car was hit by Payne’s vehicle, causing the victim’s vehicle to roll over and burst into flame. Scientific evidence presented at trial from the airbag module in Payne’s vehicle showed that Payne was driving 115 miles per hour at the time of the collision. The victim died at the scene.

Payne faces a maximum sentence eight years in prison. U.S. District Judge Theodore J. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for April 25, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. Payne has been detained since his arrest on April 28, 2015.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the U.S. Park Police for its work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Hollis Raphael Weisman and Special Assistant United States Attorney Conor Mulroe, who are prosecuting the case.