A federal judge refused to delay a June 1 civil trial tied to the March 26, 2024 collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, despite new criminal charges against companies connected to the Dali. The decision leaves families of the six construction worker
BALTIMORE — The courtroom tension tightened on Wednesday as a federal judge rejected calls to slow down a civil case that is set to begin on June 1, moving forward even as criminal charges land in the background of the same deadly disaster.
U.S. District Judge James Bredar refused to postpone the trial over civil claims stemming from the 2024 collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge. The bridge fell after the container ship Dali lost power and crashed into the structure in the early-morning hours of March 26, 2024.
Bredar ruled that the civil trial will proceed as scheduled, despite the recent filing of criminal charges against the companies that owned and managed the Dali.
Six construction workers who had been filling potholes were killed in the bridge collapse. Attorneys for the victims and their families urged Bredar to preserve the existing timetable for the civil trial.
The request to delay came after the Justice Department announced criminal charges on May 12. Prosecutors indicted Singapore-based Synergy Marine Pte Ltd. and Chennai, India-based Synergy Maritime Pte Ltd. The indictment also includes Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair, an Indian national identified as the Dali’s technical superintendent.
Company attorneys argued that witnesses would be reluctant to testify before the criminal case is resolved. Bredar disagreed, saying continuing with the June 1 schedule would be “the most efficient use of judicial resources.”
“We’re ready to go,” Bredar said during the hearing.
The indictment accuses the ship operator of intentionally relying on an improper fuel pump and then lying about it to investigators. Synergy Marine, for its part, accused prosecutors of improperly treating an accident as a crime.
For families seeking answers in the civil case, the judge’s decision means the schedule that had been set remains in place—no waiting for a criminal process to run its course before witnesses take the stand.
Baltimore Francis Scott Key Bridge Dali June 1 civil trial James Bredar Synergy Marine Synergy Maritime Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair Justice Department indictment
So they’re still doing it June 1… wild.
I don’t get it, how can they have a civil trial while criminal stuff is still happening? Seems like it would mess up witnesses or whatever. Also the bridge falling, that’s just insane.
Wait, I thought the criminal charges were already decided? Like if DOJ charged them May 12 then why not just pause everything until the judge finishes. But I guess “most efficient use” of court sounds like they just don’t care about families having to relive it.
The Dali lost power and crashed, and now it’s like “improper fuel pump”?? That sounds like some tech excuse. If they were “lying about it,” wouldn’t that automatically mean the civil case should wait? I saw a headline that said they’re saying it was intentional and I’m like… intentional is a big word, so how is June 1 not gonna be a circus.