(Photo credit – Facebook)
WASHINGTON — A Silver Spring man was sentenced Thursday to 35 years in prison for a 2022 crash near the White House that killed one pedestrian and left another with life-threatening injuries.
Spiro Stafilatos, 39, was sentenced June 25, 2026, after a jury found him guilty of second-degree murder, aggravated assault while armed and fleeing. The sentence includes 20 years for the murder conviction and 15 years for the assault conviction, to be served consecutively.
The case stems from Dec. 30, 2022, when Stafilatos was driving a dark Buick LeSabre in Northwest Washington, D.C. U.S. Secret Service police officers initially observed the vehicle in the 700 block of 14th Street NW with a missing front tag and a Maryland rear tag that did not display a registration sticker.
Officers later approached the vehicle after it stopped in the 700 block of 15th Street NW and a passenger got out. During the traffic stop, officers noticed what they believed was an open beer container near the driver and instructed Stafilatos to put the vehicle in park because it was still in drive.
Instead, Stafilatos fled north on 15th Street NW and turned onto New York Avenue NW. As the Buick entered an intersection against a red light, it was struck by another vehicle traveling on a green light, causing the Buick to rotate and strike two pedestrians in a crosswalk.
(Photo credit – Facebook)
Both pedestrians were thrown into the roadway and transported to hospitals. Shuyu Sui died at MedStar Washington Hospital Center despite lifesaving efforts. Jiahui Wang was taken to George Washington University Hospital with trauma to the body and head.
Testing conducted several hours after the crash showed Stafilatos had recently used cocaine. He has remained in custody since his arrest.
Prosecutors sought an upward departure from sentencing guidelines, and the court agreed as to the assault conviction, citing multiple aggravating factors tied to Wang’s injuries.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service Police and the Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jamie Carter and Will Lawrence prosecuted the case.
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