Ocean City Man Sentenced to 40 Years for Murder Following Road Rage Incident

Worcester County, MD - On March 25, 2026, a Worcester County Circuit Court judge sentenced 58-year-old James John Johnson of Ocean City, Maryland, to 40 years in the Division of Correction. Johnson was convicted on the charge of second-degree murder.

The Honorable Brian D. Shockley imposed the sentence. Johnson received 463 days of credit for time served and was ordered to provide a DNA sample.

The conviction stems from an incident on December 16, 2024. Ocean City EMS and police responded to a reported pedestrian collision in a parking lot at 92nd Street and Coastal Highway.

Responders located the victim, James Callahan, with life-threatening injuries. Callahan was transported to Atlantic General Hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.

Witnesses at the scene reported that Callahan had interacted with the driver of a black SUV in the intersection prior to the collision. They stated the vehicle then intentionally struck Callahan in a road-rage incident.

Surveillance footage from nearby businesses confirmed the black SUV accelerated rapidly through the parking lot. The video showed the vehicle intentionally striking the victim at a high speed.

Officers canvassed the area and located the damaged SUV parked on 77th Street. Police made contact with Johnson, who admitted to operating the vehicle that day.

A search of the SUV yielded receipts indicating Johnson had picked up food from a restaurant approximately 200 feet from the scene, just minutes before the collision occurred.

Worcester County State's Attorney Kris Heiser commended the Ocean City Police Department and Detective A. Gutowski for their comprehensive investigation. Heiser also thanked Assistant State's Attorney Dempsey Stewart for securing the conviction and the maximum sentence.