A driver who caused a fatal crash on the Capital Beltway in June 2024 has been sentenced to three years in prison.

In November 2025, Maria Luisa Alvarez, 20, pleaded guilty to negligent manslaughter by motor vehicle in the crash that led to the death of 30-year-old Rockville, Maryland, resident Boris Josue Bonilla.

On Jan. 9, Alvarez was sentenced to 10 years in prison, suspending all but three years. She will also face five years of supervised probation upon release.

Alvarez, a Lanham resident, was taking the ramp from southbound Georgia Avenue to the Inner Loop of the Beltway on June 5, 2024, in a 2005 Honda Accord when she failed to navigate the curve of the ramp and drove onto the travel lanes of the inner loop.

Alvarez’s vehicle crashed into a Honda Civic and a Jeep Wrangler. Bonilla, a passenger in her Honda Accord, was pronounced dead at the scene. In total, five people were taken to a local hospital with a range of injuries.

According to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, a toxicology test showed that Alvarez’s blood alcohol content was .18% — above the legal limit.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the family of Boris Bonilla. This was a tragic and unnecessary loss, and we thank the Maryland State Police for their thorough investigation in this matter,” State’s Attorney John McCarthy said in a news release.