Chester woman charged in January Bay Bridge crash

CENTREVILLE — A Queen Anne’s County woman has been charged in the Jan. 27 collision on the Bay Bridge involving more than 20 vehicles. According to court documents, the State filed charges this week against Gwendolyn Persina, age 48 of Chester.

Those charges include causing life threatening injuries while operating a vehicle, driving under the influence of alcohol, driving while impaired by a controlled dangerous substance and driving on a suspended license.

The multi-vehicle incident on the westbound span of the bridge had travel shut down for several hours.

Through the course of investigation, the Maryland Department of Transportation Authority Police Collision Reconstruction Unit determined Persina was driving at high speeds and erratically, contributing to the crash.

Queen Anne’s County State’s Attorney Lance Richardson said he requested the court to hold Persina in the detention center during the Aug. 29 bail review because she was on probation for a DWI at the time of the accident.

In 2022, Persina had been found guilty in Queen Anne’s County Circuit Court of driving while impaired by alcohol. Her 18 month probation was still in effect at the time of the January incident.

Richardson said he made the request because he believed Persina is “a threat to public safety with her potential to drive in a dangerous manner again if she were to be released on pre trial supervision.”

“The chain reaction collision also ultimately caused an innocent man to lose his arm in the accident,” Richardson said.

An arrest warrant was issued for Persina on Aug. 27. During a bail hearing on Aug. 29, Persina was ordered to be held pending trial. A jury trial has been set for February.