A Fairfax County, Virginia, grand jury indicted a D.C. Advisory Neighborhood Commission member for manslaughter in a deadly March drunken driving crash on the Capital Beltway.
The jury indicted Devon Lesesne, 32, of D.C., on one count of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Katherine Aileen Reyes, 20, of Montgomery, Alabama. The felony carries a maximum penalty of 10 years if Lesesne is convicted.
Virginia State Police said Reyes died when Lesesne crashed into her disabled SUV as it sat on the shoulder of Interstate 495 near Telegraph Road on a Saturday night with a flat tire. Reyes died at the scene on March 5, 2022.
At the time of the crash, Reyes had her hazard lights flashing. The impact of the crash caused her SUV to catch fire.
“This is a tragic incident that could have been avoided, and our hearts break for the family of this young woman,” said Steve Descano, Commonwealth’s Attorney for Fairfax County, in a news release. “There are no winners in this situation. I am committed to working toward accountability in a manner that promotes healing for the family, our wider community.”
Lesesne, who remains in custody without bond, is the chair of Advisory Neighborhood Commission 8D. He is scheduled to appear in Circuit Court Thursday.
WTOP has contacted D.C. to inquire about Lesesne’s status as a commissioner.