Avery Leslie Stokes, 20, of Indian Head
9/17/2021: Avery Leslie Stokes, 20, of Indian Head, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on September 10, 2021. Judge Joe Stanalonis sentenced Stokes and he was given credit for the 393 days he had served prior to the sentencing.
8/16/2021: Avery Leslie Stokes, 20, of Indian Head, was found guilty of Negligent Vehicular Manslaughter on August 6, 2021, for a crash that killed a hitchhiker .
Stokes had just picked up hitchhiker, Thomas Edward Douglas, age 63 of Mechanicsville before he intentionally drove into a tree.
UPDATE – SMCSO Press Release – 10/28/2019 @ 10:30 a.m.: Continuing investigation in the fatal motor vehicle collision by the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division and the Sheriff’s Office Collision Reconstruction Unit, it was determined this motor vehicle collision was a result of an intentional act.
On October 9, 2019, Avery Leslie Stokes, age 19 of Indian Head, was charged with First Degree Murder.
Stokes remains incarcerated at the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center on a no bond status.
Avery Leslie Stokes, 19, of Mechanicsville
UPDATE 10/28/2019 @ 7:30 a.m.: Avery Leslie Stokes, 19, of Mechanicsville was indicted and arrested, he was charged with the following:
- MURDER – FIRST DEGREE
- ASSAULT – FIRST DEGREE
- NEG MANSLAUGHTER – AUTO/BOAT, ETC.
According to the indictment, Avery Leslie Stokes, did feloniously, willfully and of deliberately premeditated malice aforethought kill and murder Thomas Edward Douglass, 63, of Mechanicsville.
Stokes was driving a car which crashed into a tree on New Market Turner Road, in Mechanicsville on May 18, 2019, killing Douglass. Stokes had picked up Douglass who was hitchhiking, it is unknown if Stokes knew him prior the crash.
Updates will be provided as they become available.
Stokes is currently incarcerated at the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center on a no bond status.
UPDATE 5/19/2019 @ 3:20 p.m.: On May 18, 2019, deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 40900 block of New Market Turner Road in the area of Rustin Family Way, for the reported motor vehicle collision.
Upon arrival, a 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier, with three occupants, was located off the roadway into a tree.
The operator of the vehicle, Avery Leslie Stokes, age 18 of Indian Head, and the front seat passenger Alexandra Catherine Howard, age 18 of Mechanicsville, were flown to area trauma centers for incapacitating injuries. The rear seat passenger, Thomas Edward Douglas, age 63 of Mechanicsville, was pronounced deceased on scene.
The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Collision Reconstruction Unit responded to the scene and continued the investigation.
A preliminary investigation determined the vehicle was traveling eastbound on New Market Turner Road when for unknown reasons the vehicle crossed the centerline, overcorrected and left the roadway striking a tree. At this time driver error and lack of seatbelt usage appear to be contributing factors in the fatal collision.
Anyone who may have witnessed the collision or any events leading to the collision is asked to contact Corporal Brandon Foor at (301) 475-4200 extension *2265 or by email at [email protected].
5/18/2019: On Saturday, May 18, 2019, at approximately 1:05 p.m., police fire, and rescue personnel responded to New Market Turner Road in Mechanicsville, for the motor vehicle accident reported serious with one vehicle smoking and possibly on fire with subjects trapped.
An off duty deputy from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office was first to arrive at the scene and confirmed that two patients were trapped, a female had removed herself from the vehicle.
Shortly after, Rescue personnel on the scene reported a passenger was deceased.
The male driver and a female passenger were flown from the scene by Maryland State Police Helicopter Trooper 7 to an area trauma center.
Police described the occupants of the vehicle to be in their late teens to early twenties.
The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Collision Reconstruction Unit responded to the scene and is investigating, we will provide more information as it becomes available.
