Prince George's County Officer Indicted in Route 301 Crash That Killed Bailiff

A Prince George’s County police officer was indicted on January 8, 2026, after a grand jury returned charges tied to a deadly July 7, 2025 collision on Route 301. Officer Anthony Coleman, who was off duty at the time of the crash, faces counts that include negligent manslaughter by vehicle and homicide by motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol. Authorities allege Coleman was intoxicated and speeding when his Ford F-250 struck a Nissan Maxima carrying Carlton Herndon, 56, who later died.

Herndon, a retired Washington D.C. police detective serving as a bailiff for the county district court, was killed in the crash that prompted an extended criminal and administrative review. The indictment marks a significant legal escalation from the initial investigative phase and moves the matter into the criminal justice system, where prosecutors will pursue charges before a trial or other resolution.

Following the grand jury action, the Prince George’s County Police Department changed Coleman’s status from administrative leave with pay to suspension without pay. The department has confirmed that an internal affairs investigation remains open, meaning the case is now the subject of both criminal prosecution and an internal personnel review. That dual track is likely to shape public perceptions of how the department handles serious allegations against officers and how discipline is meted out when actions occur off duty.

Family members of the victim have issued statements in the wake of the indictment, and the police union has also responded. Officials and community leaders have said the case has stirred concern across the county, both because of the loss of a public servant and because it occurred on Route 301, a stretch of highway that has long been the focus of safety concerns. The corridor is frequently cited by local officials and residents as a high-speed thoroughfare where serious crashes have occurred, prompting calls for additional enforcement and infrastructure changes.

For Prince George’s County residents, the case underscores two intersecting issues: the human cost of traffic violence and the accountability of law enforcement officers when alleged criminal behavior occurs off duty. The ongoing internal review will determine any departmental disciplinary consequences, while the criminal case will proceed through the courts. Both processes will be watched closely by the victim’s family, law enforcement advocates, and community members seeking answers about roadway safety and institutional oversight.