CULPEPER, Va. — A Virginia family says it is happy charges have been brought forward against a deputy that was involved in a car crash that claimed the life of their loved one.
Earlier this year, the family of 65-year-old Helen Quarles filed suit against Culpeper County Sheriff's Deputy Lt. Ashleigh Baughan and Culpeper County Sheriff Scott Jenkins. They claimed Baughan was acting negligently after she hit Quarles' car in her cruiser at the intersection of State Route 3 and Carrico Mills Road on March 30.
The family alleged Baughan was traveling more than 20 miles per hour over the speed limit. They sued her and Jenkins for more than $5 million.
On Monday, prosecutors also charged Baughan with the Class 1 misdemeanor of reckless driving for her actions on March 30. In Virginia, people who are found guilty of that crime can go to jail for up to a year and pay a fine of up to $2,500 dollars.
Quarles' son, Lee Braxton Jr., said he was happy charges were finally filed in the case.
"Don't be scared," he said. "Fight for your rights. Fight for your family. And don't be scared of what's going to happen. Just continue to fight."
Braxton said he could not understand why a deputy would be traveling at an excessive speed when they were not responding to an emergency.
"I'm pretty sure she's been in accidents involved where people were just speeding," he said.
WUSA9 reached out to both the Culpeper County Sheriff's Office and Baughan for comment. Neither party responded to those requests.
According to the Culpeper County Commonwealth Attorney, the Fauquier County Commonwealth Attorney has been named the special prosecutor of Baughan's case.