(LAUREL, MD) – Maryland State Police arrested and charged a Baltimore City man following a double fatal crash in Howard County early Sunday morning.
The accused is identified as Michael Coupet, 34, of Baltimore City, Maryland. He was the driver of a Toyota Sequoia involved in the crash. He is 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. He was arrested and transported to the Howard County Detention Center, where he is being held without bond.
The deceased are identified as Venkata Asha Khanna Appana, 48, and Krishna Kishore Koti Kalapudi, 49, both of Marvin, North Carolina. Appana was the driver of a Chrysler Pacifica and pronounced deceased on the scene. Kalapudi was the front passenger and transported to an area hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased. Two additional passengers in the Chrysler, a 21-year-old, was transported by ambulance to a trauma center and a 16-year-old, was flown by Maryland State Police Aviation Command to a trauma center.
Around 2:45 a.m. yesterday, troopers from the Maryland State Police Waterloo Barrack responded to southbound Interstate 95 at Maryland 216 for a report of a two-vehicle crash. The preliminary investigation indicates the Toyota, operated by Coupet, was traveling the wrong way on I-95 when he struck the Chrysler head-on.
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 continue to lead the active and ongoing investigation.
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