The federal court will keep moving forward with a civil trial set for June 1 in Baltimore tied to the 2024 collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, even as related criminal proceedings unfold, after a judge rejected a defense request to delay the schedule.
U.S. District Judge James Bredar said Wednesday that the trial will start as scheduled for civil claims connected to the deadly March 26, 2024, disaster, according to the court arguments and reporting summarized during the hearing. The judge rejected the motion for postponement filed by companies involved in the incident, even after prosecutors brought new criminal charges.
Bredar’s decision came after the Justice Department announced on May 12 an indictment involving the container ship Dali that lost power and struck the Key Bridge in the early-morning hours. Prosecutors charged Synergy Marine Pte Ltd. and Synergy Maritime Pte Ltd., and they also charged Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair, an Indian national identified as the Dali’s technical superintendent.
The civil case arises from the deaths of six construction workers who were filling potholes on the bridge when it collapsed. Attorneys for the victims and their families urged the judge to preserve the existing civil trial schedule, arguing that delaying the case could harm their ability to pursue relief and testimony related to the crash.
During the hearing, company lawyers argued that trial witnesses would be reluctant to testify before the criminal case is resolved. Bredar responded that continuing with the civil trial would serve what he described as “the most efficient use of judicial resources,” and he told the courtroom, “We’re ready to go.”
The criminal indictment alleges that the ship operator intentionally relied on an improper fuel pump and then lied about it to investigators. It also includes counts tied to alleged conspiracy, misconduct causing death, failing to immediately inform the U.S. Coast Guard of a hazardous condition, obstructing the National Transportation Safety Board, and making false statements, according to the reporting of the indictment’s allegations.
Separately, the state of Maryland announced in April a $2.25 billion settlement with Synergy Marine and Grace Ocean Private Limited, the Singapore-based ship owner. The companies reached that deal with Maryland, but the settlement did not resolve the pending claims brought by victims’ families in the civil case.
Victims’ attorney Daniel Rose said in court that the companies had known “day one” that criminal charges were likely to be filed, and he urged the court to proceed with the civil trial despite the new criminal case. Rose said, “We’re all prepared (for trial),” adding, “Let’s proceed.”