The Metropolitan Police Department is currently investigating a tragic incident that ended fatally for two individuals on Southern Avenue this past Tuesday. According to the official MPD release, the event unfolded when a silver BMW sedan, involved in active pursuit by law enforcement agencies, crashed into a tree, splitting in half.
The preliminary findings of the Major Crash Team indicate that on Tuesday at around 12:35 p.m., the vehicle, sought in connection with multiple robberies, was speeding southward on the 4100 block of Southern Avenue, Southeast when the driver lost control. The resulting crash was so severe that the BMW was ripped apart and an occupant, 19-year-old Demetri Koger of Southeast, attempted to escape the scene but was apprehended by police and charged with Fugitive from Justice, he was then hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
Upon the arrival of D.C. Fire and EMS, along with police officers, two other occupants were extracted from the vehicle but sadly, were pronounced dead at the scene. One of the deceased has been identified as 17-year-old Dashawn Harris, also from Southeast. Efforts to identify the second decedent are ongoing by the D.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and MPD investigators.
The pursuit narrative escalated yesterday when the BMW was confirmed by its VIN number as the vehicle used in an armed robbery. Ongoing investigations by the MPD are expected to shed more light on the circumstances leading up to the crash and the robberies associated with the ill-fated sedan.
