Fatal Car Crash Convict Ordered To Carry Victim's Photograph For 6 Years

A man from Baltimore, Maryland, convicted of manslaughter in connection with a car crash that led to the death of a woman, faced a unique punishment — he was ordered to carry a picture of the victim in his wallet for a period of six years.

Circuit Court Judge Ronald Silkworth issued the order Tuesday while sentencing Johnathan Derek Simms, 33, to 18 months in jail, 5 years of probation, and 500 hours of community service, Capital Gazette reported.

In April 2016, Simms’ vehicle rammed into 66-year-old Louisa Donner’s car head-on in Glen Burnie. He was overspeeding. Donner died in the accident.

During the sentencing, the judge ordered Simms to carry a wallet-sized photo of Donner with him wherever he went. Silkworth said this would remind Simms of the damage his actions had caused.

“I don’t think you’re a bad person,” Silkworth said. “I do think there is a future for you.”

“What would she (Donner) think, or do, or say?” Silkworth said, adding he felt she’d want him “to be fair” but would also want Simms “be held accountable.”

However, Donner’s daughter, Kerrie Donner, was not satisfied by the sentence.

Describing her mother as an irreplaceable part of her life, Kerrie, the daughter of Louisa Donner, said that her mother's death was complicating her struggle with depression. She said Donner was someone who offered “a sanctuary” to her as well as other relatives when they went through tough times.

“I can’t count the number of times I thought, ‘Why didn’t God take me that day?’” she said adding, “I find it a constant struggle to stay here without her.”

“I’ll never be able to express everything that my mom was to me and to everyone that was around her,” Kerrie further said adding that the judge’s decision “wasn’t the sentence (Simms) deserved.”

Jesse Rice, Simms’ uncle, welcomed the judgment and said he felt a longer prison term wouldn’t have helped.

“I don’t think it serves anybody,” he said.

Referring to Simms’ guilty plea to manslaughter charges and the defense presented by his attorney before the court, assistant state attorney Michael McGraw said he “has failed to accept responsibility for his actions.” The defense presented a psychological evaluation that said Simms had “paranoid personality disorder” and also possibly had “dramatically low iron” levels when the accident happened.

“This was a case of someone who just didn’t want to stop for the police,” McGraw said.

Before Silkworth pronounced the judgment, Simms spoke for several minutes and said he accepts Donner’s death, adding that he was confused about the court proceedings.

“It didn’t feel right to say I was not guilty. I knew I was guilty,” Simms said.

After pronouncing the verdict, Silkworth said it was a case that could test a judge.

“My job is very often difficult,” he said. “This case shows how difficult it can be,” he added.

The judge, in the past as well, sentenced many convicts to community service. In 2015, Arundel Neighborhoods Association, a community group, honored the judge for sending “quite a few people for community service.”

Silkworth became the chief judge of the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court and the Fifth Circuit in 2014.