Berlin Man Sentenced After Conviction for DUI & Failure to Stop at Accident Involving Death

Image courtesy Worcester County State’s Attorney

A Berlin man has been sentenced to serve 10 years in prison after he was convicted of DUI and failing to stop at an accident involving death. The Honorable Mickey J. Norman, retired Associate Judge of the Baltimore County Circuit Court imposed the sentence – suspending 5 years of incarceration and ordering 70 year old Christopher Miller to complete 3 years of supervised probation upon his release.

Court records show Miller struck Carolyn Long as she walked along the shoulder of Route 611 near Landings Boulevard in Berlin around 10:15pm on November 2, 2024. Miller did not stop, but later contacted police and returned to the scene on foot. Maryland State Police learned that Miller had been drinking earlier in the evening.

Additional information from the Worcester County State’s Attorney:

The charges stem from an investigation that began on November 2, 2024, when Maryland State Police troopers were dispatched to a motor vehicle collision involving a pedestrian in the area of Route 611 near Landings Boulevard in Berlin, Maryland. Upon arrival, troopers located the pedestrian, later identified as Carolyn Long, deceased at the scene as a result of injuries sustained in the collision. The investigation determined that Ms. Long was walking northbound along the shoulder of Route 611 at approximately 10:15 pm when she was struck and instantly killed by a vehicle driven by Christopher Miller. Miller did not immediately stop his vehicle or render aid, but later contacted police and returned to the area on foot. Troopers made contact with Miller on scene, detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath and person, and learned that he had consumed alcoholic beverages earlier in the evening. Subsequent testing revealed Miller had a blood alcohol content of .15 at the time of the collision.

Worcester County State’s Attorney Kris Heiser commended the Maryland State Police crash team investigators and Tfc. Bradley of the Berlin Barrack for his initial response in securing the scene. Heiser also thanked Assistant State’s Attorney Brittani Stewart who prosecuted the case. Heiser stated, “Deaths like that of Ms. Long are tragic because they are preventable, and while no sentence will ever make up for a loss of life, I hope it brings some comfort to Ms. Long’s family and friends. I also hope that this case serves as a reminder to our entire community and its visitors that Worcester  County prosecutes drunk driving aggressively and unapologetically and that we will continue to do so.”