A traffic stop over suspicious tags in Northeast D.C. ended on a school roof Saturday, after U.S. Park Police chased down a driver who took off and tried to escape on top of a nearby campus. Officers said no one was hurt, and the encounter wrapped up without further incident. The man’s identity and any potential charges have not yet been released.
According to FOX 5 DC, Park Police officers tried to pull over a vehicle near Central Avenue and Vista Street NE after noticing that the tags did not match the car. The driver allegedly sped off, ditched the vehicle, and then ran onto the roof of a school in the 3000 block of Central Ave NE, where officers went up and took him into custody.
School and neighborhood
The rooftop arrest unfolded in the Woodridge neighborhood, near Friendship Public Charter School - Woodridge Elementary. The campus serves early grades and sits in the general Central Avenue NE area, according to the school’s listing on Friendship Public Charter School. It was not immediately clear whether school was in session or if any classes were disrupted during the incident.
Police pursuit policy in focus
The brief chase comes as U.S. Park Police vehicle pursuits remain under a microscope following a policy shift last year that watchdogs and lawmakers say has increased the number of chases in the District. Critics have raised concerns about federal officers initiating pursuits over low-level equipment or registration issues, as reported by The Washington Post.
What happens now
Park Police say the episode is under investigation, and they have not released the suspect’s name or any charges he might face. FOX 5 DC reported that officers took the man into custody "without further incident" and that no injuries were reported.
