WICOMICO COUNTY, Md. - A Salisbury man was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of negligent manslaughter for a 2022 crash in which he was driving over 110 mph, according to the Office of the State's Attorney for Wicomico County.
Sammy Hwang pleaded guilty on Oct. 30. He was sentenced to 20 years, with all but eight suspended, of incarceration. Upon release, he will then be on supervised probation for three years.
Early in the morning of July 12, 2022, Hwang crashed into the back of another car on Route 50 in Parsonsburg, the office said. That car was pushed into a tree and one passenger was declared dead at the scene, while a second died weeks later from injuries sustained in the crash. An investigation from Maryland State Police said Hwang was speeding in excess of 110 mph when the crash occurred and had a blood alcohol test result of 0.11, which is 0.03 above the legal limit.
"Mr. Hwang has had no prior contacts with the criminal justice system, not even a speeding ticket," said Wicomico County State's Attorney Jamie Dykes, "but on that night, he made several terrible decisions that now leave two families without their mothers and a community heartbroken. This case is a prime example of why we tell our young adults the importance of not drinking and driving."