SNOW HILL — A Selbyville man, characterized as “the most dangerous driver in all of Worcester County,” was found guilty this week by a jury of driving while impaired, marking his 12th conviction on drunk-driving-related charges.
Gerald Lusby, Jr.
It took a Worcester County Circuit Court jury about 20 minutes to return a guilty verdict for driving while impaired for Gerald Lusby, Jr., 46, of Selbyville. It was Lusby’s 12th conviction for drunk-driving-related charges. Worcester County Circuit Court Judge Richard Bloxom sentenced Lusby to three years in jail, the maximum allowable penalty, and imposed a $1,000 fine.
Busby was arrested for driving drunk in Ocean City last Sept. 17. According to police reports., an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was driving north on Coastal Highway in the area of 137th Street when he was passed by a vehicle driven by Lusby going 45 mph. The officer ultimately stopped the vehicle at a convenience store on 139th Street and believed the suspect was impaired.
The officer spoke with Lusby, who told police he had been at a midtown nightclub and had consumed two alcoholic beverages. The officer noted in the arrest report Lusby exhibited signs of impairment including slurred speech, slow and deliberate movements and glassy eyes. Lusby was administered field sobriety tests which he did not pass to the officer’s satisfaction. He was arrested on suspicion of driving while impaired and later refused to submit to the breath test at the Public Safety Building.
In his last appearance in Worcester County Circuit Court in January 2015, Lusby was found guilty by a jury of driving while impaired following his arrest in February 2014 in north Ocean City when his vehicle was observed straddling the lane markings. In that case, Lusby’s 11th conviction in a span of over 20 years dating back to 1991, he was sentenced to one year in jail., the maximum penalty allowed at the time.
However, due to increases in the subsequent offender penalties since his last conviction,, Assistant State’s Attorney Lauren Bourdon on Monday sought the new maximum allowable penalty of three years, pointing out at sentencing Lusby “poses a significant threat to the people of Worcester County when he isn’t incarcerated.” Before handing down the three-year sentence, Bloxom said Lusby’s record was “the most remarkable driving record he had ever seen.”
Interim State’s Attorney Bill McDermott prosecuted Lusby in 2015 and called him at the time “perhaps the most dangerous driver in Worcester County,” and “the moment he is incarcerated, Worcester County is a safe place.” On Monday, McDermott elaborated on his 2015 comments.
“The Ocean City Police Department and Assistant State’s Attorney Lauren Bourdon may have saved untold lives today with the incarceration of Mr. Lusby,” he said. “The people of this county can travel our roads with a sigh of relief knowing that Mr. Lusby is in prison for the next three years.”
