Law Office of Richard A. Simmons (410)286-1220

12/25/2025

Merry Christmas. Be smart. Don’t drink and drive. I’m here for you 24/7, just in case.

11/19/2025

Edgewater man sentenced for manslaughter, DUI in February crash
Maggie Trovato (Kevin Richardson/Staff)
By Maggie Trovato
PUBLISHED: November 19, 2025 at 2:14 PM EST

An Edgewater man will spend 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to negligent manslaughter and driving under the influence in a February crash that took the life of a 74-year-old Upper Marlboro woman.

Joseph Illig, 65, was sentenced Friday to 25 years in prison with all but 15 years suspended. Following his incarceration, Illig will have to serve five years of supervised probation.

Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne C**t Leitess said in a statement that she hopes this sentence provides peace to the family and friends of the victim.

“Losing a family member to a drunk driver is a tragedy far too many people have experienced,” Leitess said. “Repeat drunk drivers like this defendant are a significant public safety threat and their actions have lasting consequences on our community.”

Peter O’Neill, Illig’s attorney, said in a phone interview Wednesday that what happened was a tragedy for the family of Mary Elizabeth Cox, the 74-year-old woman who died in the crash. He said he and his client’s hearts go out to Cox’s family.

O’Neill said Illig has accepted responsibility for what happened and understands that the crash could have been avoided if he hadn’t been drinking and driving.

According to Anne Arundel County Police, Illig was driving in his 2020 Chevrolet pickup truck on Mitchells Chance Road near Hamlet Club Drive in Edgewater on Feb. 17 when he crossed the center line and struck a pickup traveling in the opposite direction.

Cox, the passenger in the other truck, was flown to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore in critical condition. She died less than a week later.

Police said neither of the pickup drivers was injured in the crash.

Illig was charged with driving under the influence and other traffic violations. The following day, he was charged with causing a life-threatening injury in a vehicle while under the influence.

In April, he was charged with manslaughter in the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court.

According to court records, Illig has a history of drunken driving in Maryland. In 2019, he was convicted of driving under the influence in Anne Arundel County. Court records show he was granted probation before judgment after pleading guilty and served one year of unsupervised probation.

Have a news tip? Contact Maggie Trovato at [email protected], 443-890-0601 or on X .

10/29/2025

https://www.msba.org/site/site/content/News-and-Publications/News/General-News/New-Maryland-Laws-Effective-October-1-2025.aspx?fbclid=IwZnRzaANvgMtleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHmFmlwajOR82yrEA7jPo_mam-75YB_7ufF_b2IYv-Wk9fgeq2_BrB6J7ZzZz_aem_mGyiBoN-6Q-400c-qG7cyQ

On October 1, 2025, numerous laws passed during the Maryland General Assembly’s 2025 session will go into effect.

07/02/2025

Hiring a lawyer is stressful. Get first-hand reviews from people just like you. Not all lawyers will be a good fit, but at least this resource can help.

Find Maryland attorney Richard Simmons in their Annapolis office. Practices Criminal defense, DUI and DWI, Personal injury. Find reviews, educational history and legal experience.

06/14/2025

Another 5 Star ⭐️ Review

All reviews (90)

Posted by anonymous | June 13, 2025 | Hired Attorney
Knowledgeable Attorney & Great Guy

I came to Richard via a referral in a rough spot in life. Richard was kind, understanding, and took the time to listen to my concerns. Richard went above and beyond to make sure I was taken care of through several avenues and got the best outcome possible. Top notch lawyer and even better person! 10 out of 10 would recommend

Find Maryland attorney Richard Simmons in their Annapolis office. Practices Criminal defense, DUI and DWI, Personal injury. Find reviews, educational history and legal experience.

06/09/2025

A new review has been posted to your profile
5 stars
I retained Richard Simmons to represent me after I was pulled over for an alleged DUI. I loved his straight, no nonsense approach. He stated his fee up front, I paid it and didn’t pay anything else…and six months passed between my arrest and my court date. At my hearing, he went over the dash cam footage and questioned the arresting officer on police tactics and procedures. He proved, rather quickly , that there was no legal reason to have pulled me over. The state argued otherwise, but the judge agreed with Mr. Simmons and the case was thrown out. As I’ve never had any priors, not even a speeding ticket, this was the most stressful period I’ve experienced in my life. Richard literally lifted a massive weight off my chest. He shoots straight with his clients AND in the court room. Watching him work his expertise in the court was amazing. He knows his stuff. I would highly recommend retaining Richard Simmons should you need legal help.

Find Maryland attorney Richard Simmons in their Annapolis office. Practices Criminal defense, DUI and DWI, Personal injury. Find reviews, educational history and legal experience.

05/30/2025

Criminal, traffic, car accidents… Free consultation… Call or text 443-623-6905. 

05/23/2025

We honor….

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1CPWBKkisk/?mibextid=wwXIfr

05/08/2025

The Anne Arundel County Police Department turned on two red light cameras at Severn intersections on Wednesday, part of an effort to improve safety on county roadways.

05/07/2025

News from around the county. Just be glad you weren’t there.

A woman was shot after a cigarette dispute in Anne Arundel County, police said. Officers are looking for the suspect.

05/07/2025

This is an example of the SODI defense.  Some other dude did it. Or, in this case, the raccoon did it.



Police in Springfield Township were in for a shock when they crossed paths with a raccoon holding a m**h pipe to its mouth during an arrest.