North Beach woman charged for fatal Valentine's Day crash
By ANDREW CEPHAS / Southern Maryland News / June 16, 2016
https://www.somdnews.com/breaking/north-beach-woman-charged-for-fatal-valentines-day-crash/article_1c5164e3-7b26-5669-a193-f739c813c47c.html
https://www.somdnews.com/breaking/north-beach-woman-charged-for-fatal-valentines-day-crash/article_1c5164e3-7b26-5669-a193-f739c813c47c.html
Daniel Brian Amos, 21, and Kayla Nicole Amos, 20, of California, Md., were killed in a car accident Feb. 14 in Anne Arundel County, exactly six months after they were married. A North Beach woman involved in the wreck has now been charged for her alleged actions in the incident.
~~~~~ A North Beach woman has been charged with multiple counts of homicide by motor vehicle while impaired by a controlled dangerous substance and vehicular manslaughter for a fatal Valentine’s Day accident that claimed the lives of two St. Mary’s County residents. Lauren Renee Scott, 27, was charged with double counts of negligent manslaughter by auto, criminal negligent manslaughter by vehicle, homicide by motor vehicle while impaired by a combination of drugs and homicide by motor vehicle while impaired by controlled dangerous substances. Scott is also facing several traffic offenses, including failure to drive right of center and driving a vehicle while impaired by a controlled dangerous substance, charging documents state. |
The charges are for a Feb. 14 incident where Scott allegedly caused a head-on crash in Edgewater, resulting in the deaths of Daniel Brian Amos, 21, and Kayla Nicole Amos, 20, residents of California, Md., according to the documents.
Witnesses told police a northbound 2002 Toyota Camry driven by Scott crossed the centerline on Solomons Island Road near Swallow Lane and struck the southbound 2011 Honda Civic, driven by Daniel Amos, near the shoulder of the highway, previous reports state.
A 2008 Ford Crown Victoria traveling southbound struck both vehicles, overturning the Honda, according to previous reports. The occupants of the Ford declined medical treatment at the scene.
Daniel Amos was declared dead at the scene by fire department personnel. Kayla Amos was flown to a shock trauma hospital in Baltimore with critical and unstable injuries. She died the next day.
Scott was flown from the scene with serious injuries, according to previous reports. At the time of the incident, Anne Arundel County police said neither speed nor alcohol appeared to be a contributing factor to the crash. Charging documents allege that Scott told Cpl. S. Harr of the Anne Arundel County Police Department at the scene that she was very tired, adding that she was up all night and did not get any rest.
The traffic safety division of the police department handled the investigation and submitted a report to the state’s attorney. After reviewing the file, charges were filed against Scott. An arrest warrant was issued June 3 and served Tuesday.
During the investigation, Scott’s medical records were subpoenaed. The records allegedly indicated Scott tested positive for opiates and marijuana just after the collision, charging documents state. The records also included statements where Scott allegedly admitted to smoking marijuana and using heroin prior to the crash.
Scott allegedly made statements in the days following the crash, stating that she fell asleep while driving and woke up after the collision. The charging documents also allege Scott described herself to officers as a “chronic relapser.”
Witnesses allegedly said they saw her shooting heroin while driving her car on a few different occasions prior to the crash, the documents state. Another witness told officers they reportedly saw Scott’s vehicle swerving on the road and observed her pulling into a driveway, adding they didn’t know she returned onto the roadway until after hearing the news of the crash.
Scott has faced drug-related charges in recent years, court records show. In 2014, Scott faced multiple charges in Calvert County for possession of controlled dangerous substances, possession of paraphernalia and possession of administering equipment, but they were placed on the court’s inactive docket. She also faced charges in Anne Arundel County in 2014 for the possession of marijuana less than 10 grams, possession of paraphernalia and possession of administering equipment. These, too, were placed on the inactive docket.
Scott is scheduled to appear in Anne Arundel County’s district court for trial on July 29. She is currently being held on a $1 million bail, increased from $675,000 at her bail review Wednesday.
The Amoses were remembered fondly by many in the Southern Maryland community in the days and weeks following the wreck that claimed their lives on their six-month wedding anniversary. Dozens gathered at Chesapeake Church in February for a service honoring the young couple. Daniel Amos was a guitarist at Chesapeake Church, and Kayla worked as a sales consultant at a Lusby jewelry store and was part of the Huntingtown church’s team to open its new coffee shop.