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Helen Marie Quarles

Age : 65

Gender : Female

Race : Black

Date : 03/30/2021

Location : VA-3 and Carrico Mills Road

City : Culpeper

County : Culpeper

State : Virginia

Agency : Culpeper County Sheriff's Office

Officer(s) :Lt. Ashleigh Baughan

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Bystander killed by police vehicle crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

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NARRATIVE:
On 03/30/2021 at approximately 6:00 p.m., Helen M. Quarles, 65, of Locust Grove was driving home from her job at a state probation office. Quarles was driving a Nissan Altima on Route 669 and attempting to cross Route 3 near Carrico Mills Road when her car was struck in the driver's side by a Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office Chevrolet Tahoe driven by Lt. Ashleigh Kristen Baughan. Quarles was wearing her seat belt and died at the scene. Baughan suffered minor injuries.
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Baughan was on duty but was not responding to an emergency or participating in a pursuit. Her emergency lights and siren were not activated. Evidence developed after the crash alleged that Baughan was traveling approximately 75 mph in the 55-mph zone immediately before the collision.
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Virginia State Police investigated the crash with its Culpeper Division Crash Reconstruction Team. Baughan was subsequently charged with reckless driving in connection with Quarles' death. In October 2022, she was found not guilty of reckless driving.
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Quarles' son filed a $5.3 million wrongful-death lawsuit against Baughan and Culpeper County Sheriff Scott Jenkins. The lawsuit alleged that Baughan was driving substantially above the posted speed limit without an emergency justification when she struck Quarles' vehicle. The litigation specifically challenged the sheriff's office's responsibility for Baughan's driving and Quarles' death.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
Ashleigh Kristen Baughan was a Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office supervisor. Employment records identify her as a 1st Sergeant, badge 304. She later left the sheriff’s office in 2023.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://fredericksburg.com/news/local/son-of-woman-killed-in-route-3-crash-files-5-3-million-suit-against-culpeper/article_d428bdab-a476-5adb-a5eb-b9518cc9030d.html
https://www.29news.com/2021/03/31/vsp-investigating-fatal-crash-involving-deputy-with-culpeper-co-sheriffs-office/
https://starexponent.com/news/son-files-5-3-million-suit-against-culpeper-sheriff-lieutenant-in-fatal-route-3-crash/article_0398d333-da4b-58f6-ac91-35ad36fff80e.html