WASHINGTON — A Silver Spring driver convicted of hitting and killing a pedestrian while high on PCP in Downtown D.C. was sentenced Friday to 80 months in prison.
James B. Chandler Jr., 33, will serve more than 6.5 years behind bars and will serve another five years of supervised released following his prison sentence. Chandler entered an Alford plea in April to charges of voluntary manslaughter and driving under the influence of PCP in D.C. Superior Court.
Police say Chandler hit and killed Philip Snodgrass, 27, who was walking along H Street NW near the Government Accountability Office building on Feb. 23. Chandler had been speeding along nearby streets and hit two other vehicles before hitting the retaining wall outside the GAO building. His SUV flipped several times along the sidewalk, striking Snodgrass.
Snodgrass worked for the National Federation of Federal Employees and was headed to night classes at Georgetown University’s Law Center when he was killed.
Police say Chandler, who couldn’t remember what happened, had been traveling up to 60 mph before the wreck.
