Eden Woman Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Vehicular Manslaughter

Image courtesy Wicomico County States Attorney

An Eden woman has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for vehicular manslaughter. Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Wicomico County, Kathleen Beckstead sentenced 40 year old Catherine Thornton on Friday – with no part of her sentence suspended. In April Thornton pleaded guilty to grossly negligent vehicular manslaughter and failure to stop at a scene involving death.

Court records show that in December 2023, Thornton was driving on South Upper Ferry Road in Eden when she crossed into the opposite lane and struck and killed a pedestrian walking on the shoulder with his girlfriend. Officials say Thornton turned around and drove past the scene with stopping or providing assistance. Records show Thornton was under the influence of narcotics at the time of the collision.