The Independent Investigations Division (IID) of the Office of the Attorney General is delaying the release of the identities of the deceased driver and involved officers in the fatal crash that occurred on May 20 in Montgomery County along I-270 near Route 28.
Typically, within 48 hours of a police-involved fatality that the IID is responsible for investigating, the IID releases the names of the decedent(s) and all involved officers.
In the case of the fatal crash that occurred on May 20, investigators are still working to review the evidence they need to make that determination, so we are extending the 48-hour protocol to allow that work to continue. Once investigators’ initial review and confirmations are complete, the identities of the decedent and involved officers will be released online. Original news release:
The Independent Investigations Division (IID) of the Office of the Attorney General is investigating a fatal crash that occurred following a police pursuit in Montgomery County early Saturday morning.
On May 20, at approximately 5:00 a.m., Montgomery County Police Department officers responded to a call reporting an unresponsive man inside a vehicle in the area of Rockledge Drive in North Bethesda, Maryland. Officers attempted to contact the car’s driver, but the vehicle fled northbound on I-270. After an approximately two-minute pursuit, the vehicle crashed in the northbound I-270 express lanes just south of Route 28. The driver was pronounced dead on scene. The occupants of another vehicle that was struck during the crash were transported to a local hospital with minor injuries.
The IID is investigating this incident with assistance from the Maryland State Police Crash Team. The IID will generally release the name of the decedent and involved officers within 48 hours of the incident, though that period may be extended if there is a specific reason to believe that an officer’s safety is at risk.
Officers’ body-worn and dashboard cameras were activated during the incident. The IID will generally release body camera footage or dashboard camera footage within 14 days of an incident. There may be situations where more than 14 days is necessary, including if investigators need more time to complete witness interviews, if there are technical delays caused by the need to redact the identities of civilian witnesses, or to allow family members to view the video before it is released to the public.
Pursuant to Maryland law, effective October 1, 2021, the Office of Attorney General (OAG) is required to investigate all police-involved fatalities in the State of Maryland. These investigations are conducted by the office’s Independent Investigations Division, in conjunction with the Maryland State Police.
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