DOJ Files Criminal Charges Over Key Bridge Collapse
The U.S. Department of Justice has filed criminal charges in connection with the March 2024 collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland. The indictment alleges that the container ship collision that brought down the bridge was preventable.
On March 26, 2024, the container ship Dali struck a support pier of the Francis Scott Key Bridge while departing Baltimore Harbor. The impact caused the bridge to collapse into the Patapsco River, killing six workers who had been conducting maintenance work on the structure. Eight others escaped injury.
According to the federal indictment, investigators determined that the collision occurred after the vessel lost electrical power and propulsion. The indictment alleges that the company responsible for managing the vessel failed to maintain adequate propulsion and steering systems, creating conditions that lead to the impact.
The charges focus on allegations that safety procedures were not properly followed before the vessel departed port. Federal prosecutors claim that routine maintenance and inspection requirements were not met, directly contributing to the power failure that preceded the collision.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge carried an average of 34,000 vehicles per day, including significant commercial traffic between Baltimore and surrounding regions. Its collapse disrupted trucking routes throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, forcing drivers to take long detours around the Baltimore Harbor.
Drivers hauling containers out of the port of Baltimore had to navigate new routing patterns that added time and fuel costs to trips across the state.