Ryan Hazel Sentenced To 22 Years In Prison For Drug Charges Tied To Fatal 2017 Crash

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A Baltimore man was sentenced Thursday to 22 years in prison on a number of drug charges related to a fatal crash in 2017.

In November, a jury found Ryan Hazel, 27, guilty on 11 counts of firearm and drug trafficking offenses, including possession of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime and possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine.

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The charges stemmed from an incident on August 10, 2017. Officers tried to stop Hazel and the owner of the vehicle Hazel was driving near the 1600 block of West Lexington Street for not using headlights while driving at night. When the officer got out of his car, Hazel sped off, leading officers on a chase that was called off for safety reasons.

Hazel continued down South Mount Street, where he hit and killed 66-year-old Margaret Hall, who was driving home after her shift at a hospital.

Officials said Hazel then got out of the vehicle and tried to run before falling about 25 feet from the crash site. Police found numerous drugs and a loaded handgun with 35 bullets in an illegal 50-round magazine Hazel's bag in the car.

At the time, then-Police Commissioner Kevin Davis said Hazel was "a validated Blood gang member" and described the gun found as a "weapon of death."

Hazel will serve his 22-year sentence consecutively with a 10-year sentence in Hall's death.

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