An Anne Arundel County police officer has been indicted on charges related to a high-speed pursuit that culminated in a fatal crash, as confirmed by Maryland's Attorney General's Office. Officer Alexander Rodriguez, age 30, faces multiple charges, including manslaughter, misconduct in office, and leaving the scene of a fatal accident, as per the announcement made yesterday.
According to WMAR2 News, the incident occurred on August 10, 2024, when 21-year-old Joshua Vanderziel, a Russian linguist for the U.S. Navy, fatally collided with a flatbed truck while riding his motorcycle; Rodriguez allegedly pursued Vanderziel for four miles across multiple counties without activating his emergency lights, sirens, or obtaining permission for the chase, and following the crash, he did not provide aid or report the incident.
"He did not return to the scene. He did not make a notification about the collision. He did not provide medical aid or request emergency medical assistance for the collision. And he made no written or verbal report about the crash," Attorney General Anthony Brown stated in a news conference, as reported by WBALTV. The prosecution also cites witness accounts, GPS data, and surveillance video for evidencing Rodriguez's involvement in the chase leading to Vanderziel's death.
The Baltimore Banner carries a statement by Attorney General Anthony Brown, who expressed his shock over the events, "absolutely appalled that an officer would endanger a person’s life and then flee the scene of a fatal crash without offering aid or reporting the incident." This indictment marks the second case prosecuted by the Maryland Office of the Attorney General's Independent Investigations Division, a unit formed to probe deaths involving police officers and to pursue related prosecutions.
Anne Arundel County Police have cooperated with the ongoing investigation, initially suspending Rodriguez with pay, which has now been amended to a suspension without pay following the indictment.
