OCEAN CITY — A Cockeysville, Md. man, arrested on manslaughter, vehicular homicide and dozens of other charges on Friday after allegedly causing a fatal collision, remains behind bars this week without bond after a bail review hearing on Monday.
Around 1:15 a.m. last Friday, the Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) received a call about a reported drunk driver leaving an uptown bar and a description of the vehicle. OCPD officers located the suspect’s vehicle, a white Lexus LX570, in the area of 59th Street and Coastal Highway and attempted to stop it.
According to crash investigators, the driver, later identified as Todd Pivec, 41, failed to stop and continued southbound on Coastal Highway. Pivec was speeding and the vehicle failed to stay in its designated lane at different times during the pursuit.
OCPD officers briefly lost sight of Pivec’s vehicle according to police reports. Moments later, Pivec’s vehicle struck another vehicle heading south on Coastal Highway in the area of 46th Street.
The force of the collision caused the victim’s vehicle to become engulfed in flames. The victim, identified as Seifeldawla Alfaki, 51, of Princess Anne, could not get out of the burning vehicle and was pronounced deceased at the scene. A witness to the crash, a law enforcement officer from New Jersey, told OCPD investigators Pivec’s vehicle was traveling an estimated 60-80 mph when it struck the rear of the victim’s vehicle.
Following the collision, Pivec’s vehicle became immobilized after striking a utility pole. According to police reports, Pivec then exited through the vehicle’s rear passenger door because the driver’s side door was disabled in the collision and attempted to flee on foot, but was immediately taken into custody by OCPD officers. According to police reports, Pivec resisted the OCPD’s attempts to handcuff him and ultimately had to be tackled to the ground by officers, according to police reports.
Pivec, who was not injured in the crash, exhibited signs of intoxication and stumbled as he walked. It was also noted in the police report Pivec defecated on himself at some point during the incident. He was taken to Atlantic General Hospital for a mandatory blood draw.
Pivec has been charged with 27 total counts including negligent manslaughter by motor vehicle, criminal negligent manslaughter by motor vehicle, negligent homicide while impaired, negligent homicide while under the influence and a slew of traffic offenses.
Pivec was ordered to be held without bond by a District Court Commissioner on Friday following the incident. Back in court in Snow Hill on Monday morning for a bail review hearing, the same terms were applied and Pivec was ordered to be held without bond pending trial, which has been tentatively set for Aug. 5.
A background check revealed last Friday’s incident was just the latest in a string of drunk-driving-related offenses for Pivec. According to court records, he has been arrested at least five times for driving under the influence, driving while intoxicated or driving while impaired. In two separate incidents, Pivec has been charged with reckless driving in wanton disregard for safety.
Also, on two occasions, he has been charged with driving a vehicle without an ignition interlock system as required. In the latest of those cases following an arrest in Queen Anne’s County in July 2017, Pivec pleaded guilty to driving a vehicle without an ignition interlock system as required and was sentenced to one year in jail, all of which was suspended but 30 days.