Maryland woman gets 30-year sentence for fatal I-695 work zone collision

A woman from Maryland was handed a 30-year prison sentence on Friday for her involvement in a tragic accident on I-695 in Baltimore County in 2023, which resulted in the deaths of six individuals. Lisa Lea, who admitted guilt to six counts of vehicular manslaughter in November 2025, was driving at speeds exceeding 100 mph when her vehicle collided with another car, causing both to crash into an existing work zone along I-695. The crash resulted in the deaths of six construction workers. A National Transportation Safety Board report highlighted that Lea was changing lanes rapidly when the collision occurred and had substances in her system that could have affected her driving ability. The driver of the second vehicle involved in the crash, Malachi Brown, was also speeding and was sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to negligent manslaughter, with an early release and home detention in June 2024. Following the tragic incident, there were legal actions taken against the state of Maryland and a contracting company, citing safety concerns in work zones and erratic driving by Lea and Brown. Consequently, changes have been implemented in Maryland's work zone safety policies, including the requirement for a protection vehicle to block the opening of a work zone and the closure of an adjacent lane during construction activities. Additionally, the Maryland Road Worker Protection Act was established, allowing for heightened safety measures such as the deployment of more speed cameras and increased fines within work zones.