LA PLATA, Md. — On Friday, February 28, 2025, Stacy Jermain Barksdale, 39, of Waldorf, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for the Gross Vehicular Manslaughter of Gary Alan Cooper. Barksdale will also face five years of supervised probation upon his release.
Barksdale had pleaded guilty to the charge of Gross Vehicular Manslaughter on January 9, 2025.
The tragic incident occurred on April 22, 2024, when troopers from the Maryland State Police, along with Charles County Sheriff’s Office deputies, responded to a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of Route 301 and Acton Lane. They found a silver GMC Envoy, driven by Barksdale, heavily damaged in the intersection, and a white Ford Expedition, which had struck a guardrail, with a seriously injured driver, Denise Kesterson, and a deceased passenger, Gary Alan Cooper.
The investigation revealed that Barksdale was traveling southbound on Route 301 and ran a red light at high speed, colliding with the Ford Expedition in the process. Cooper, who was seated on the front passenger side of the Expedition, was fatally injured in the crash. Kesterson, the driver, suffered serious injuries and was transported to the hospital. Barksdale was also injured and taken to the University of Maryland Capital Regional Health Center.
Toxicology results showed Barksdale had methamphetamine, marijuana, and a .15 blood alcohol content at the time of the crash, confirming his impairment.
During the sentencing, Assistant State’s Attorney Cody Ballard requested the maximum sentence of 15 years, highlighting Barksdale’s prior history of driving under the influence. Ballard stated, “He has been given multiple opportunities to correct his behavior — this time, he killed somebody.” A victim impact statement was delivered by a loved one of Cooper, who expressed the irreversible pain caused by the loss, stating, “Gary was given a death sentence. We were given a life sentence. The sentence that the defendant faces doesn’t compare.”
Judge Makeba Gibbs, emphasizing Barksdale’s dangerous and repeated offenses, told him, “As a repeat offender, I can’t think of anything more dangerous than someone unaware of the need not to drive after consuming alcohol.”
Sentencing Details:
Count 1: Gross Vehicular Manslaughter
Sentence: 15 years with all but 12 years suspended
Supervised Probation: 5 years
