Annapolis, Maryland – A Glen Burnie man was sentenced to seven years in prison Wednesday for striking a young newlywed couple with his vehicle, killing the woman and critically injuring her husband, while speeding down Aquahart Road, State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess announced.
In total, Austin Keith Seagraves, 21, was sentenced to 25 years, with all but seven years suspended, plus five years of supervised probation upon release.
“Fidel and Arielle were high school sweethearts who had just married after graduating from college,” said Leitess. “They had just purchased their first home and had bright futures ahead. They were going on a pleasant walk for ice cream when their lives were forever changed. The Defendant’s actions driving speeding in a 30 mph zone, fleeing the scene and abandoning the two people he injured was horrendous. This sentence holds him accountable for his actions.”
On August 24, 2022, just before 7 p.m., Anne Arundel County police were called to the area of Aquahart Road and Oakwood Road in Glen Burnie for a crash involving a Toyota Camry and two pedestrians. Witnesses advised the driver of the Toyota had fled the scene and that they had taken photos of him running from the crash site. Two passengers of the vehicle also fled from the scene and were later detained.
Officers located the two pedestrians, identified as Fidel Angel Castro, age 23, and Arielle Starr Dryden-Bera, age 22, in a lot on Aquahart Road. Castro was taken to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center with life-threatening injuries. Dryden-Bera was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Nearly an hour after the crash, the driver of the Toyota, later identified as Austin Seagraves, returned to the scene alongside family members. It was determined Seagraves was driving more than 50 miles per hour in a 30-mph zone on Aquahart Road when he overcorrected in an attempt to avoid a curb and veered onto a sidewalk, striking Castro and Dryden-Bera. Following the crash, Seagraves pulled his shirt over his head to conceal his identity and ran from the scene, at no point calling for help or rendering aid to the victims. A front and back seat passenger were also seen running away without stopping to help. It was later determined that Seagraves, who did not possess a driver’s license, was distracted while speeding leading up to the crash.
On May 19, 2023, Seagraves entered a Guilty plea to Negligent Manslaughter by Automobile, Leaving the Scene of a Personal Injury Accident, and Leaving the Scene of an Accident Involving Death. The case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney Carolynn Grammas on behalf of the citizens of Anne Arundel County, with the Honorable Stacy McCormack presiding.