18 months for Murder

Friday, April 7, 2006
Last modified Wednesday, April 5, 2006 11:22 AM EDT

Driver must serve 18-month jail term in traffic accident that killed woman
City man pleads guilty in separate case involving two fatalities
From Staff Reports
Wednesday, April 5, 2006 11:22 AM EDT

CUMBERLAND - A Cumberland man has been sentenced to serve 18 months in jail and another city man is awaiting sentencing in connection with two separate crashes last year that claimed three lives. Peter A. Rosskamp, 53, was sentenced by Judge Gary G. Leasure to three years in the Division of Correction with 18 months suspended after he was convicted in Allegany County Circuit Court of negligent homicide by motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol.

The jail term is to be served in the Allegany County Detention Center.

Rosskamp, who pleaded guilty, was also sentenced to four years of supervised probation upon his release from jail, ordered to pay $455 in restitution and perform 50 hours of community service, speaking to civic groups about his case.

Rosskamp was convicted in the Oct. 14 accident on Greene Street that claimed the life of Ashley Marie Merced, 21, of Cumberland. Merced was a passenger on a motorcycle driven by Nathan Alan Dolan, 23, of Cumberland that was struck by a truck operated by Rosskamp. Dolan was injured in the crash.

Rosskamp left the scene of the accident but then turned himself into city police the next morning. Cumberland Police conducted the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by State's Attorney Michael Twigg. Rosskamp was represented by Cumberland attorney George McKinley.

In another report, Chad Jordan Robertson, 26, of Cumberland pleaded guilty to two counts of negligent man-slaughter by motor vehicle and exceeding speed of 104 mph in a 50-mph zone.

Robertson entered the plea in Allegany County Circuit Court before Judge W. Timothy Finan through Attorney Mike Stankan of the Public Defender's Office.

Finan ordered a presentencing investigation by the Maryland Department of Parole and Probation.

Robertson entered the plea in connection with charges stemming from the Feb. 16, 2005, accident on U.S. Route 220 at Danville that resulted in the death of Robertson's passenger, Christopher Donald McCoole, 20, of McCoole, and the driver of the northbound car, Paul Bender, 39, Bedford, Pa.

Maryland State Police reported that Robertson was driving southbound at a high rate of speed when he passed another automobile by driving on the shoulder, eventually clipping it and spinning into the path of a northbound car operated by Bender.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant State's Attorney Mark Alexander.