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The mother of a university student, who was killed nearly two years ago when his car collided with a police cruiser driven by an off-duty officer, was awarded more than $4 million Thursday.
After three hours of deliberation, a civil jury in Prince George's County District Court found Cpl. Mario Chavez at fault for his collision with Brian Gray at the intersection of Belair Drive and Beaverdale Lane in Gray's hometown of Bowie in December 2007.
Gray, a junior criminology and criminal justice major, was driving to the campus to take his final exams for fall semester when his Chevy Beretta was struck by Chavez's police cruiser as he made a left turn. His body was launched 85 feet past the collision site.
"I was in the courtroom on Tuesday when the doctor did the autopsy report," said Kathy McGehee, the sister of Mary Gray, Brian's mother. "It was heartbreaking to hear the severity. To hear about the internal bleeding and the damage to his body, it was crushing. You always knew that was the cause of death, but to see it described, it was just awful."
Chavez, who was driving double the speed limit, testified last Thursday to drinking three to five beers while out with friends the night before the crash, but he wasn't given a drug or alcohol test at the scene. An AT&T representative also testified that Chavez had either received or sent out a text message moments before the collision.
"It was never about the money," said Gray family friend Tom Ponton. "The most important thing for that family that happened this week was that an impartial jury found that Brian Gray was not at fault for the accident. It was the fault of Chavez."
At the end of a criminal investigation, Chavez was issued a $260 fine in August. Ramon Korionoff, a spokesman for Prince George's County State's Attorney Glenn Ivey, said at the time prosecutors did not have enough evidence to charge him with vehicular manslaughter.
As a result of Chavez's perceived light punishment, Mary Gray filed a $4 million lawsuit against Chavez and Prince George's County.
After a week-long trial, the jury reached its verdict.
Dana Paul, one of Gray's attorneys, said during his closing argument that if Chavez had been driving the speed limit, or even as much as 15 miles per hour more than the limit, Brian would still be alive, according to The Washington Post.
Ponton said the county is expected to appeal the verdict, which may prolong a final judgment for another year.
Chavez has been assigned to an administrative job where he does not have contact with the public, according to media reports.
McGehee said both the criminal and civil trials have brought the family closer together as they fought for a sense of justice.
"That was just kind of a peace," said McGehee. "Like OK, he was really was just a kid on his way to school that morning."
"My sister's fortunate that she had family that didn't just let it go," she added. "I really feel for people who don't have that family to help them out. You got to check things out for yourself because the only people you can trust is your family. My sister learned this the hard way."
Although the county may soon file an appeal, McGehee said the family can walk away from this ordeal knowing Brian's name is cleared.
"I think [Mary] is happy enough to live with the fact that the public knows Brian was not contributing to the negligence [charge]. But money was never the important point. You can't put a price on someone's life."
hampton@umdbk.com
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in someone else's shoes. You obviously do not know Mary Gray -- she is already doing many positive things
in Brian and Ricky's memory -- oh you probably did not know that her husband died of cancer in 2000.
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