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Charges Filed In Crash That Killed 2 Maryland Officers

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Maryland State Police charge a man with negligent driving after a crash that killed two law enforcement officers.

Police say Roberto A. Garza Palacios, 28, is being charged. The charge carries a penalty of a $280 fine and three points. They say Garza Palacios met with State Police at the Rockville Barrack in mid-April and was issued the citation. Signing the citation is not an admission of guilt.

On December 8, 2017, FBI Special Agent Carlos Wolff and Deputy Chief State Fire Marshal Cohen of the Maryland Office of the State Fire Marshal were killed in the crash.

RELATED: 2 Off-Duty Officers Killed In I-270 Crash Identified

According to authorities, Deputy Chief State Fire Marshal Cohen was off-duty and driving south on I-270 when he saw Special Agent Wolff's personal vehicle disabled in the travel lane and pulled over to help. They say he blocked the damaged vehicle with his own and activated his emergency flashers to safeguard the scene.

Officers say the two men had moved to the shoulder of the fast lane when a southbound 2000 Honda Accord, driven by Garza Palacios, swerved to the left of the stopped vehicles because he was unable to move to the right due to traffic. Garza Palacios struck both men and they were thrown over the jersey wall to the northbound side of I-270.

Police say alcohol, drugs and speed were not factors in this crash.

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