Md. woman charged in deadly 2024 crash that killed NFL draftee pleads guilty

A Maryland woman charged in a July 2024 crash near Joint Base Andrews that killed a recent NFL draftee and two of his former teammates pleaded guilty to three charges Friday afternoon.

A Maryland woman charged in a July 2024 crash near Joint Base Andrews that killed an NFL draftee and two of his former teammates pleaded guilty to three charges Friday afternoon.

Cori Clingman, of Upper Marlboro, pleaded guilty to three counts of negligent homicide under the influence of alcohol. Each count carries a maximum of five years in prison, and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Tara Jackson said they’re recommending a 15-year sentence with all but three years suspended.

After Friday’s court appearance, Clingman sat on a bench in the first row of the courtroom. She put her hand over her face and wept.

The families of Isaiah Hazel, Anthony Lytton Jr. and Khyree Jackson hugged and entered the courtroom together. Some family members cried during the proceeding.

Months before the crash, the Minnesota Vikings selected Jackson in the NFL Draft. The three men were former teammates at Wise High School in Upper Marlboro.

“Incidents like these are not just accidents,” Jackson, the state’s attorney, said. “They are preventable tragedies that occur from conscious choices.”

The crash happened in the early hours of July 6, 2024. Prosecutors said Clingman and the two other men had spent time at a lounge and then left.

Clingman, investigators said, rammed her Infinity Q50 into a Dodge Charger and Chevrolet Impala on Route 4-Pennsylvania Avenue.

Prosecutors said Friday that Clingman was driving over 100 miles per hour, and the Charger the three men were in was also speeding at an “excessive” rate.

Had the case advanced to trial, prosecutors said, an expert would have testified that Clingman’s blood alcohol level was between .12 and .18 at the time of the crash.

The driver of the Impala wasn’t injured, and Clingman and the two passengers in her Infinity weren’t injured either.

The Impala was driving in the center lane, and as Clingman approached it, prosecutors said she tried to avoid hitting it. Clingman moved from the middle to the far-right lane, but the front of her car hit the bumper of the Impala, which forced Clingman off the road. That’s when she hit the Charger, prosecutors said.

There’s no evidence the two cars were racing, Jackson said.

“The investigation revealed that her reckless and impaired driving led to the incident that caused the crash,” Jackson said.

Asked about the sentencing recommendation, Jackson said “these cases are difficult, because unlike violent crimes, you don’t have someone leaving the home intending to kill someone, or pulling out a gun intending to kill somebody. You have a person that makes a bad choice, consciously makes a bad choice, for which she should be held accountable.”

Last weekend, Jackson said there were three separate crashes in Prince George’s County that led to two deaths. One other person is in critical condition.

With the holiday season approaching, Jackson urged the public to be responsible.

“No destination, no rush, no moment of excitement is worth a life,” Jackson said.

Clingman’s sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 4.

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