PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, Md. — Authorities in Prince George’s County, along with the Maryland Attorney General’s Office, are investigating a fatal crash that took place Friday night in District Heights.
Details are still limited, but according to social media updates from Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, the Independent Investigations Division (IID) responded to the scene of a deadly “police-involved” crash around 10:56 p.m. Friday.
The crash occurred in the 1200 block of Addison Road, near the St. Paul Senior Living Apartments. The Attorney General’s Office is currently leading the investigation.
Initial findings indicate an officer attempted to stop an Infiniti SUV. Although the driver pulled over briefly, they then sped off down Addison Road South. The officer lost sight of the vehicle and called for backup. Shortly after, other officers from the District Heights and Capitol Heights police departments spotted the SUV and made another attempt to stop it.
The fleeing driver crashed into four other vehicles. A child inside one of those cars was rushed to the hospital but did not survive. The child has been identified by family as 3-year-old Zoey Harrison. Her mother was also injured and hospitalized. The family shared photos of Zoey with WUSA9.
The suspect driver was taken into custody and hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
Officials confirmed that officers involved were wearing body-worn cameras, and two patrol vehicles were equipped with dash cameras. The investigation is still ongoing, and further updates will be shared on WUSA9.
Just one week earlier, the IID was called to another fatal police-related crash, this time in Chillum.
According to a preliminary report, that crash happened around 10:15 p.m. on Friday, March 1, when Hyattsville police tried to stop a Lincoln sedan in the 3300 block of East-West Highway. The driver, 23-year-old Warren Leonard of D.C., who was wanted for second-degree rape and was carrying a handgun, initially stopped but then fled. The chase was quickly called off near East-West Highway and 23rd Avenue.
Leonard’s car drove onto the shoulder and struck 33-year-old Esmeralda Montoya-Perez of Riverdale, Maryland, who died at the scene. Leonard was arrested and treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Although unrelated, investigations into both fatal incidents are still ongoing.
