A Charles County man guilty of vehicular manslaughter was sentenced last week to seven years in jail for a high-speed accident that killed a Lusby lady in St. Mary’s County two years ago.
Michael Anthony Carlucci, 50, of Waldorf, was found guilty earlier in March in connection with the death of Jaleisa Wilcox, 33, on May 31, 2023, in Mechanicsville.
During the sentencing hearing, the state’s attorney’s office recommended the maximum penalty of ten years in prison, despite the Maryland sentencing guideline range of three months to four years.
Carlucci received a 10-year sentence, including seven years of active jail. According to the state’s attorney’s office, upon released, he will be placed on five years of supervised probation with a particular condition barring him from operating a motor vehicle until further order by the court.
On the afternoon of May 31, 2023, patrol officers from the St. Mary’s Sheriff’s Office were alerted to a motor vehicle collision on Three Notch Road at the intersection with Mt. Zion Church Road. Deputies arrived on the scene to find multiple automobiles engaged in a major incident, two of which had flipped, according to an agency release.
The investigation showed that Carlucci’s Chevrolet Corvette was heading southbound on Three Notch Road at Laurel Grove Road when it collided with the back driver side of a Toyota 4Runner driven by Jeamine Eugene Barnes, 50, of Hollywood. The Toyota Camry, driven by Jaleisa Wilcox, 33, of Lusby, was then struck, pushing all three vehicles into an earthen embankment.
The Corvette and Camry toppled over after colliding with the embankment, while the 4Runner crossed into the northbound lanes.
Wilcox, the mother of four children, was declared dead at the site by first responders.
An investigation indicated that Carlucci attempted to pass many vehicles on the shoulder and collided with the victim’s vehicle, causing it to topple. Police decided that excessive speed was a significant cause.
“The terrible tragedy of this case highlights the urgent need for careful driving — and sanctions that reflect the irreversible harm these incidents may inflict. “The profound loss felt by Jaleisa’s loved ones is a sobering reminder of the dangers posed by reckless drivers on the road,” St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney Jaymi Sterling (R) said in a statement. “Every time a driver gets behind the wheel, they make choices that affect not just their own fate, but also the lives of everyone around them.”
Judge Joseph Stanalonis presided over the proceedings.
Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Mike McGraw prosecuted the case. Cpl. Jason Smith of the St. Mary’s Sheriff’s Office was the primary investigator.
