by Geoff Fox
A Hancock man was arrested last Monday in connection to a fatal hit and run death in Frederick County, Maryland. He has been charged with multiple driving offenses, obstructing officers in their investigation and failing to render aid then leaving the scene of an accident.
Gary Allan Godlove, 28, of Hancock, was “successfully and without incident” arrested on Monday, January 8, by the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit team member Deputy 1st Class Bryan Bittenmaster, the department said in a news release.
According to police, around 3:20 a.m. on August 17, 2023, Bittenmaster responded to a report of a motor vehicle crash around Winchester Boulevard, just north of Mountville Road in Frederick.
Upon responding, the deputy found a single vehicle crashed into a tree with a front passenger, identified as Kelby Lester, 24, of Berkeley Springs, unresponsive. Police said the driver was not on scene and had fled.
Emergency Medical Services personnel removed Lester from the vehicle and a short time later pronounced him dead at the scene.
Through their investigation of the crash, deputies identified Godlove as the driver of the vehicle.
“Due to the complexity of this incident, the lengthy investigation took a little over four months to complete, but ultimately led to successfully charging Godlove for his crimes,” Captain Brian Woodward, Frederick County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Operations commander, said in the release. “Deputy Bittenmaster did a great job of handling this crash from the beginning and his due diligence resulted in this successful arrest.”
Godlove was transported to Frederick County Adult Detention Center on January 8 and his 11 charges include: fail to return and remain at scene of injury accident, fail to return and remain at scene of accident involving death, fail of driver in accident to render reasonable assistance to injured person, failure to report accident to police, knowingly giving false accident report information, negligent driving, failure to control speed to avoid collision, driving without required license and authorization, person driving motor vehicle on highway with suspended out of state license, false statement to officer, and obstructing and hindering.
Godlove had his bond review hearing on Tuesday, January 9, and the honorable Judge Julia Martz-Fisher held him without bond until his trial.
According to online court documents, no trial date has been scheduled. A conference scheduling in Frederick County Circuit Court is scheduled for January 29.
