Mary Gray saw Mario Chavez’s police cruiser fatally collide with her son’s car on the morning of Dec. 10 last year. Last week, the day before the one-year anniversary of his death, Gray watched as county prosecutors settled on Chavez’s punishment.
The result was a speeding ticket.
A year ago last week, Brian Gray, 20, was on his way to take his first final exam of the semester. His mother was driving behind him, taking a family friend to school, according to media reports. As he made a left turn onto Belair Drive in his hometown of Bowie, Md., his Chevy Beretta was struck by Chavez’s police cruiser and was hurtled 85 feet past the collision site, according to media reports.
Chavez’s light punishment, due to the lack of sufficient evidence linking his actions to negligence, according to a report by The Washington Post, leaves friends and family angry and disconcerted.
“Someone’s son, friend, boyfriend is never going to get him back because of [Chavez’s] selfishness,” said Kayla Brewster, Brian Gray’s friend since the eighth grade. “It’s extremely unfair. … It just goes to show you what the world has come to.”
County police spokesman Mike Rodriguez could not comment on the investigation. State’s Attorney Glenn Ivey, Ivey’s spokesman Ramon Korionoff and Mary Gray could not be reached for comment.
Friends of Brian Gray said they remember him fondly.
“He was an all-around great person,” Brewster said. “He was fun, no drama and all about having a good time. Everyone still talks about him, not one bad word is said.”
Chavez, who was driving 25 miles per hour faster than the speed limit at the time of the collision, admitted to consuming alcohol the night before the crash, according to media reports and the deposition for the civil case.
His blood alcohol level was not questioned due to state law, and according to media reports, officers at the scene said they had no reason to suspect Chavez was under the influence of alcohol, according to media reports. Brian Gray’s blood alcohol level was tested. Investigators found no sign of alcohol consumption.
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