A 24-year-old Columbia man was sentenced to five years in prison Monday after pleading guilty to negligent vehicular homicide in a 2008 crash that killed his friend.

In Howard County Circuit Court, Alexander Camorali, of the 6400 block of Halflight Garth, admitted involvement in the Nov. 8 crash that killed Roger Bartrug.

According to prosecutors, during the sentencing before Judge Richard Bernhardt, Camorali apologized to Bartrug’s mother, Kathy Oliveto, and friends, saying: “If I could put myself in his place I would, no questions asked.”

The crash occurred at about 2:30 a.m. at Harper’s Farm Road near Twin Rivers Road. According to a statement of facts in the case, police found a badly damaged 1998 Ford Ranger pickup truck and determined it had been involved in a single-vehicle accident. Bartrug was found lying unconscious near the truck, suffering from severe head trauma. He later died at the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center.

Howard County Police Officer Nic Bingham, who investigated the accident, learned from a witness that the Ford Ranger was traveling at a speed of about 60 miles per hour in a 35 miles per hour zone when the driver lost control and struck the curb. The truck moved into the left lane, became airborne, and began spinning in the air before striking a tree in the median and then a lightpole, prosecutors said.

Police contacted David Camorali, the owner of the truck, who told police that his son, Alexander Camorali, was driving the truck that evening, prosecutors said. 

Bingham then called Alexander Camorali, who said he parked and locked the Ford Ranger outside his home after work and was unaware the Ranger had been involved in a serious accident.  Camorali said Bartrug was a friend that he had not seen in about a year and that the truck was most likely stolen, prosecutors said. 

A short time later, Camorali called Bingham back and stated that he had lied earlier. He said that he was driving the truck when the accident occurred and that he fled the scene and returned home, according to prosecutors.

Police interviewed Camorali, who said he and some friends had been out at a club in Baltimore, where he drank two beers prior to leaving at 1:30 a.m. Camorali admitted that he was speeding when the accident occurred, and that he lost control of the Ford Ranger on Harper’s Farm Road, causing the accident.

Camorali also said that Bartrug was conscious and talking after the accident; however, prosecutors said that given the traumatic nature of his injuries, that was not possible.

Cell phone records show Camorali did not call 911 at any time to help Bartrug, prosecutors said.

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