Baltimore, MD – Shakur Latrell Sanders, 29, of Maryland, has been sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter in a drunk driving incident that resulted in the death of Robert Horne Jr., a good Samaritan.
On August 13, 2023, Robert Horne Jr., 50, of Smithsburg, Maryland, was helping a stranded motorist on an interstate ramp off I-395 when Sanders, driving a Mercedes-Benz SUV at over 101 miles per hour in a 55 mph zone, crashed into another vehicle and then into Horne. The impact launched Horne off the ramp, causing him to plummet 100 feet into the water below. Horne, a security guard at the Baltimore Convention Center, died from multiple broken bones and drowning, according to prosecutors.
Sanders, with a blood alcohol content of .25, was arrested following the incident. He pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter before Judge Kendra Ausby at the Baltimore Circuit Court on June 7, 2024. In exchange for his plea, Sanders received an eight-year prison sentence and five years of supervised probation. He was initially facing up to 15 years.
Horne’s mother, Nadine Heath, attended the plea hearing and described Sanders’ guilty plea as “bittersweet.” She expressed forgiveness, citing her Christian faith and Sanders’ request for forgiveness in a letter he wrote after the crash.
During the hearing, Sanders apologized to Horne’s family, acknowledging that his words offered little solace. His attorney, Mark Sobel, emphasized Sanders’ remorse and noted that Sanders had turned himself in promptly after the crash.
The Maryland Transportation Authority Police, who announced Sanders’ arrest, reported that Horne had been using a warning light to alert drivers and was directing traffic away from himself when the incident occurred.
The Delaware State Police Victim Services Unit offers support for those affected by such incidents through a 24/7 toll-free hotline at 1-800-VICTIM-1 (1-800-842-8461) or via email at DSP_VictimServicesMail@delaware.gov.