Jacqueline Mars, the heiress to the candy fortune that bears her name, will appear in Loudoun County court December 5 to face a reckless driving charge in connection with a fatal car crash earlier this month that occurred after she reportedly fell asleep at the wheel, prosecutors tell Washingtonian.
Mars, 74, was driving her Porsche SUV along Route 50 in Aldie, Virginia, about 2:30 PM on October 6 when she crossed the median and collided into an oncoming minivan, killing 86-year-old Irene Ellisor, who was riding in the van’s back seat. The minivan’s driver, who was eight months pregnant, was also injured and later lost her baby, according to reports. Mars and four other minivan passengers were hospitalized.
A search warrant showed that Mars told a witness she dozed off behind the wheel, NBC4 reported.
Reckless driving in Virginia is punishable by up to six points on a driver’s license, a $2,500 fine, and up to 12 months in jail. Mars, with an estimated net worth of $20.5 billion, is listed as the 15th wealthiest person in the United States.
Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.
Jacqueline Mars Charged With Reckless Driving in Fatal Crash
Mars reportedly fell asleep at the wheel while driving in Northern Virginia.
Jacqueline Mars, the heiress to the candy fortune that bears her name, will appear in Loudoun County court December 5 to face a reckless driving charge in connection with a fatal car crash earlier this month that occurred after she reportedly fell asleep at the wheel, prosecutors tell Washingtonian.
Mars, 74, was driving her Porsche SUV along Route 50 in Aldie, Virginia, about 2:30 PM on October 6 when she crossed the median and collided into an oncoming minivan, killing 86-year-old Irene Ellisor, who was riding in the van’s back seat. The minivan’s driver, who was eight months pregnant, was also injured and later lost her baby, according to reports. Mars and four other minivan passengers were hospitalized.
A search warrant showed that Mars told a witness she dozed off behind the wheel, NBC4 reported.
Reckless driving in Virginia is punishable by up to six points on a driver’s license, a $2,500 fine, and up to 12 months in jail. Mars, with an estimated net worth of $20.5 billion, is listed as the 15th wealthiest person in the United States.
Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.
Most Popular in News & Politics
A Historic DC Black Church Now Owns the Proud Boys’ Name
OPM’s New Email System Prompts Lawsuit
Trump’s Attempts to Shrink the Federal Workforce Could Hit the DC Area’s Economy Hard
In the Event of a US Invasion, Canadians Really Like Their Chances
What’s Going On With These Allegedly Stranded Astronauts?
Washingtonian Magazine
February Issue: 100 Very Best Restaurants
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
These DC Food Activists Were Behind the Ranked-Choice-Voting Initiative
A Biography of Perle Mesta Sheds Light on a Famed DC Figure
Inside the Library of Congress’s Artificial-Aging Lab
Guest List: 5 People We’d Love to Hang Out With This January
More from News & Politics
Norm Eisen Talks About How He Just Beat DOGE in Court—for Now
Did You See a Green Rectangle on the Potomac Early This Morning? Here’s Why.
DOGE Guy Loses Job Over Racist Posts, Buyout Deadline Paused, and Why You Should Pay Attention to Chris Hayes
Guest List: 5 People We’d Love to Hang Out With This February
DC-Area Congressional Offices Say They’re Getting Flooded With Phone Calls About Trump
Chris Hayes Knows Why Tech Makes Us Feel Bad
UDC’s President Wants You to Think Differently About the City’s Public University
Spoons Are Becoming a Symbol of Feds’ Resistance to Trump and Musk