Two people were killed in a fiery crash Tuesday after a police chase prompted by an armed robbery investigation started near Annapolis ended when a car smashed into a tree in Washington, D.C., and burst into flames.
Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal Awad and U.S. Park Police Chief Jessica Taylor said during a press conference that the chase started at about 12:15 p.m. in southern Anne Arundel County when officers spotted a white BMW suspected of being involved in more than 40 armed robberies in the region this year.
The robberies all took place near ATMs and banks, Awad said.
The driver fled on west on Route 50 and the chase went through Prince George’s County and into D.C., Awad said. Other jurisdictions were called in to coordinate the pursuit, Awad said.
“They’ve been connected to other jurisdictions, including Prince George’s, yes,” Awad said. “We’re running down leads right now.”
During the chase, someone in the car tossed a gun out, Taylor said. That weapon was recovered, Taylor said.
The car sped over a hill and “immediately slammed into a tree,” Taylor said. The car burst into flames, killing two people, she added. A third person was taken into custody and brought to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
How fast the BMW was going when it struck the tree remains under investigation, Taylor said.
The names of the three people in the BMW were not immediately released Tuesday.
“Our hearts go out to all of the people who have fallen victim to these suspects who choose to victimize innocent people and their lives,” Awad said. “I also fully recognize there will be families grieving as a result of the decision these young individuals made today.”
This story has been updated to correctly attribute a quote to Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal Awad.
