D.C. police have now identified the victim and charged the suspects in a deadly crash that happened in Northwest D.C. during a car chase this weekend.
U.S. Park Police said the driver of a stolen vehicle was heading northbound on Rock Creek Parkway Saturday afternoon when officers tried to conduct a traffic stop.
Police said the driver took off, exiting the parkway and crossing the William Howard Taft Bridge on Connecticut Avenue.
That’s where Park Police said the driver drove into oncoming traffic and hit a moped driver, who later died.
D.C. police said the victim was 46-year-old Nolberto Meza of Hyattsville, Maryland.
Judith Davis said she was walking on the bridge a few minutes before he was hit.
“All of us were like, what the heck? Seriously? Why the speed? Why so many police cars? Why the chase like that? Why do it when there’s so many pedestrians here?” she said.
The U.S. Park Police report said the fleeing driver left the scene and moments later, struck a diplomat vehicle on the other end of the bridge. One of the people in that car was later taken to the hospital.
U.S. Park Police said there were three people in the fleeing car who tried to run from the second crash. They were all arrested and taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
D.C. police identified the driver of the fleeing vehicle as 24-year-old Tomas Anderson of Northeast D.C. He has been charged with second-degree murder. The two other people in the vehicle were 19-year old Donnie Palacios of Southeast D.C. and a 16-year-old of Fort Washington, Maryland were charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle during a crime of violence.
But it’s not the first time a U.S. Park Police chase in D.C. has ended badly. News4 has reported on a series of recent crashes involving the agency that have resulted in injuries or death. On March 12, a teen was killed and two passengers were injured in another pursuit. On May 3, another chase ended in a crash that left a man paralyzed after a driver in a fleeing vehicle hit him.
When asked about that pursuit. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said to News4, “Here’s the thing with car chases, people get hurt and it’s not always the bad guy and nobody should be speeding for minor crimes in the city.”
A new policy put in place in August at the beginning of the federal surge, said Park Police may now initiate vehicular pursuits when the suspect is:
- Wanted for or suspected of committing a felony offense
- Or when a threat exists to the public based on the suspect’s actions
The policy change led to laughter at a White House Cabinet meeting.
“We got that rule changed in 24 hours because of President Trump’s leadership. The next night they had so much fun they pulled someone over, they took off, they chased em and stopped them,” said Doug Burgum, U.S. interior secretary.
D.C. police are handling the investigation of yesterday’s deadly crash.
U.S. Park Police said they will also conduct an internal review as they do with all pursuits to ensure compliance with the agency’s policies.
In its statement today, Park Police said criminals who flee from law enforcement put innocent people in danger and public safety is the agency’s highest priority.
from Local – NBC4 Washington https://ift.tt/OtpYf6K
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