A Maryland woman has been sentenced to nine years in prison after driving drunk and causing a fatal crash just one day after she had already been charged with DUI, prosecutors said.

Lydia Hanson, 32, was convicted on April 1 of negligent automobile manslaughter in the death of 78-year-old Richard Snyder, according to the Carroll County State’s Attorney’s Office. She also received a one-year suspended sentence for a separate DUI charge stemming from the day before the crash.

Authorities said the fatal collision occurred on March 16, 2025, along Route 97. Hanson was driving a Volkswagen southbound while Snyder was traveling north in a Chevrolet truck. Witnesses reported that Hanson was driving erratically and reaching speeds of up to 99 mph in a 55 mph zone.

According to prosecutors, Hanson crossed into the northbound lane, forcing several vehicles to swerve to avoid her before she collided head-on with Snyder’s truck.

Maryland State Police responded to the crash scene north of Route 26 at approximately 2 p.m. Snyder was transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Hanson was airlifted to a regional trauma center following the crash. Authorities said she initially refused to submit to a blood alcohol test. Troopers later obtained a search warrant, and testing revealed her blood alcohol content was 0.34—more than four times the legal limit.

Investigators also determined that Hanson had been stopped and charged with DUI the day before the crash, just a few miles from where the fatal collision occurred.

During sentencing, the judge sharply criticized Hanson’s actions, calling the case among the most severe he had encountered. He noted that while Hanson may not have intended to kill anyone, she knowingly engaged in the behavior that led to the crash.

Prosecutors emphasized the timing of the events, pointing to the prior DUI charge as a missed opportunity to prevent the fatal outcome.