A driver involved in a fatal Maryland trailer crash that killed a Korean man in his 20s last year has been charged with vehicular manslaughter, nearly one year after the collision.
The Montgomery County Police Department announced on February 10 that Andrew Joe Machinjiri, 25, of Severn, was charged with vehicular manslaughter and multiple traffic violations. The charges come about a year after the February 28, 2024 crash in Silver Spring.
According to police, the crash occurred at approximately 12:48 p.m. at the intersection of Norbeck Road and Layhill Road in Silver Spring.
Machinjiri was driving a tractor pulling a dump trailer and traveling straight through the intersection. At the same time, a Kia Seltos driven by Jiwon Kim, 28, entered the intersection. The two vehicles collided.
Immediately after the impact, Machinjiri continued driving and dragged Kim’s vehicle several hundred feet before stopping. As a result, Kim died at the scene.
Following the Maryland trailer crash, Machinjiri told authorities that he was not fully aware that a collision had occurred. However, investigators conducted a months-long review of the incident.
Police ultimately concluded that Machinjiri’s negligence caused the fatal crash. Therefore, authorities filed charges of vehicular manslaughter as well as traffic-related violations.
The case has now moved forward through the criminal justice system. If convicted, Machinjiri could face penalties under Maryland law for vehicular manslaughter.
The filing of charges nearly a year after the Maryland trailer crash reflects the extended investigative process. Law enforcement officials did not immediately announce criminal charges at the time of the incident.
However, after reviewing evidence and analyzing the circumstances of the collision, police determined that the driver bore responsibility.
The crash drew attention within the Korean American community because the victim was a young man in his late 20s. Authorities have not released additional details beyond the charging decision.
BY HANKIL KANG [kang.hankil@koreadaily.com]
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