On September 27, 2022, Jon Kaleb Michael Gray, age 35, of Bishopville, Maryland, was sentenced to serve 15 years in the Division of Correction for his conviction on 2 counts of negligent homicide under the influence. Gray entered a guilty plea to those offenses on August 5, 2022. The Honorable Thomas C. Groton III, retired judge of the Worcester County Circuit Court, ordered Gray to serve 10 years on the first count, and 5 years on the second count consecutively, with 5 years suspended and 3 years of supervised probation upon release. The State filed notice seeking these enhanced penalties due to Gray’s prior criminal history.
The charges were filed on June 11, 2021 as a result of a head-on motor vehicle collision which occurred on June 13, 2020 and was investigated by Sgt. Larmore of the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies responded to Whaleyville Road near Shavox Church Road and identified a total of 5 people on scene with injuries, with 1 of those individuals deceased and 2 still trapped in their vehicles. Investigation and accident reconstruction revealed that a Nissan Altima driven by Jon Gray had been traveling east on Whaleyville Road at a high rate of speed when he crossed the center line and struck a Kia Sorento driven by Claudeline Saintil. Deputies located 2 victims inside the Kia, one identified as Duope Fenelon, entrapped in the right front passenger seat, and one identified as Marc Louis, who was found deceased. Fenelon was extricated from the vehicle by first responders and transported by helicopter to the hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. 2 female passengers of the Kia were also located outside the vehicle and were transported by ambulance to the hospital. Gray was found unresponsive inside the Nissan and was also transported by ambulance to the hospital. Blood samples tested by the Maryland State Police Forensic Services Division revealed Gray’s blood alcohol content at the time of the collision was .13 grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters, well over the legal limit.
Worcester County State’s Attorney Kris Heiser thanked the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, the Maryland State Police, Showell and Bishopville Fire Departments, Ocean Pines and Willards EMS, and all stigation. She also thanked Sgt. Larmore who performed the accident reconstruction and Assistant State’s Attorney Paul Haskell who prosecuted the case.
