OCEAN CITY, Md. - A man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison after a 2024 hit-in-run crash killed a 59-year-old man. James John Johnson was convicted of second degree murder.
On March 25, Judge Brian D. Shockley sentenced him to four decades in prison in Worcester County Circuit Court, with 463 days of credit for time served, according to the court.
As previously reported by CoastTV, the incident happened on Dec. 16, 2024 at a strip mall parking lot near 94th Street. Just before 5 p.m., first responders were called to a car crash involving a pedestrian. The pedestrian was taken to Atlantic General Hospital, but later died from his injuries.
The pedestrian, James Callahan, was found to be walking across Coastal Highway when an SUV turned south onto the highway. The victim reportedly gestured toward the car, which then entered the parking lot at 92nd Street. Witnesses say the SUV accelerated and swerved directly into Callahan, hitting him before driving away from the scene.
Police were able to use surveillance footage and witness statements to identify the suspect's car, which was later located at a home near 77th Street. Prosecutors said Johnson was driving at the time of the crash.