HOWARD COUNTY, Md. — A crash in Howard County leaves two people dead and sends two others to Shock Trauma.
According to Maryland State Police, 34-year-old Michael Coupet of Baltimore City was driving a Toyota Sequoia the wrong way on I-95 when he hit a Chrysler Pacifica while under the influence Sunday morning.
The driver of the Pacifica, 48-year-old Venkata Asha Khanna Appana, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The front passenger, 49-year-old Krishna Kishore Koti Kalapudi, was taken to an area hospital and was later pronounced dead.
The two remaining pasengers a 21-year-old and a 16-year-old, were flown by Maryland State Police Aviation Command to a trauma center.
Michael Coupet who was driving the Toyota Sequoia involved in the crash has been charged with four counts of vehicular manslaughter, four counts of homicide by motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and impaired by alcohol, life-threatening injury by motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, life-threatening injury by motor vehicle while impaired, life-threatening injury involving a motor vehicle, driving under the influence, and driving while impaired.
Coupet is being held without bond in the Howard County Detention Center.
Lanes were closed for more than two hours for the crash investigation. Personnel from the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration assisted with the road closure.
The Maryland State Police Crash Team continues to lead the active and ongoing investigation.
