Berlin Man Sentenced to 10 Years for DUI Leading to Fatal Crash
BERLIN, Md. – A 70-year-old man has been sentenced to 10 years for his role in a fatal crash in the Town of Berlin.
On May 22, Christopher Miller of Berlin was sentenced to serve 10 years in the Division of Correction for his conviction on one count of driving under the influence of alcohol, and to serve five years concurrently for one count of failing to stop at an accident involving death. Judge Mickey J. Norman imposed the sentence, suspending five years of incarceration and ordering Miller to complete three years of supervised probation upon his release.
The charges stem from an investigation that began on Nov. 2, 2024, when Maryland State Police troopers were dispatched to a motor vehicle collision involving a pedestrian in the area of Route
611 near Landings Boulevard. Upon arrival, troopers located the pedestrian, later identified as 49-year-old Carolyn Long, deceased at the scene as a result of injuries sustained in the collision. The
investigation determined that Long was walking northbound along the shoulder of Route 611 around 10:15 p.m. when she was struck and killed instantly by a vehicle driven by Miller.
Further, Miller did not immediately stop his vehicle or render aid, but later contacted police and returned to the area on foot. Troopers made contact with Miller on scene, detected the odor of alcohol on his breath and person, and learned that he had consumed alcoholic beverages earlier in the evening. Subsequent testing revealed Miller had a blood alcohol content of .15 at the time of the collision, nearly twice the legal limit.
“Deaths like that of Ms. Long are tragic because they are preventable, and while no sentence will ever make up for a loss of life, I hope it brings some comfort to Ms. Long’s family and friends,” Worcester County State’s Attorney Kris Heiser said. “I also hope that this case serves as a reminder to our entire community and its visitors that Worcester County prosecutes drunk driving aggressively and unapologetically and that we will continue to do so.”
