A video from a crash that followed a police chase that began in Virginia before ending in Charles where a juvenile was killed was released last week by the Maryland Office of the Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division.
The Charles County Sheriff’s Office was notified of an armed robbery at a business in King George County, Virginia, early on December 3.
The King George County Sheriff’s Office attempted to stop the suspect’s vehicle, a Kia sedan that was later reported stolen, and a pursuit ensued across the Gov. Harry W. Nice Memorial/Sen. Thomas “Mac” Middleton Bridge into Maryland, where Maryland Transportation Authority Police assisted, according to a Charles County Sheriff’s Office press release.
The suspects continued to flee north on Crain Highway toward La Plata, where Charles County Sheriff’s Office and La Plata Police Department officers successfully deployed stop sticks that the vehicle struck, according to the release.
Officers involved included La Plata Department Officer First Class Jacob Shuar, a two-year veteran, and Cpl. Tommy Johnston, a 20-year veteran.
Both officers are assigned to the patrol division. Cpl. Katie Bottorf, a nine-year veteran assigned to the patrol division of the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, was also involved.
The video, released on January 3, begins with dashcam footage from an assisting officer from the King George Sheriff’s Office chasing the juvenile suspects around 3:42 a.m. on December 3.
The Charles County Sheriff’s Office was notified of the pursuit around 3:46 a.m.
At 4:06 a.m., the chased vehicle collided with another vehicle on Crain Highway near Charles Street, rendering both vehicles disabled.
According to the video, the other vehicle was turning left from Port Tobacco Road onto Crain Highway’s northbound lanes when the suspects struck the vehicle’s rear at speeds exceeding 100 mph.
Officers approached the vehicle with their guns drawn as the suspect crawled out of the front seat. He was placed in handcuffs.
The driver can be heard repeatedly asking, “Is my leg OK?”
Officers realized a passenger was trapped in the car and began life-saving measures before EMS arrived.
According to a sheriff’s office release, the driver was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, while the passenger was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition.
The passenger was later pronounced dead at an area hospital on December 5, and the decedent’s name will not be released due to juvenile privacy laws, according to the Independent Investigations Division.
In response to Southern Maryland News’ inquiry, a spokesperson for the state attorney general’s office stated that neither of the two juveniles’ ages nor towns of residence would be released.
According to the release, the citizen whose vehicle was struck was also taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
According to a release from the Maryland Office of the Attorney General, the suspects’ car collided with the tire deflation devices and continued driving at speeds estimated to be greater than 100 mph.
During the pursuit, no officers were injured.
The 31-minute video, which contains images that could be disturbing to some viewers, can be seen at www.youtube.com/watch?
