A late-night theft call in Fort Washington ended in tragedy when a 28-year-old Washington, D.C. man was killed in a crash on Indian Head Highway near Palmer Road, just minutes after officers were sent to a Livingston Road business. Authorities on Friday identified the driver as Juan McMillan. A passenger in the car survived and was taken to a hospital with injuries described as not life-threatening. Police say the responding officer followed the vehicle in an unmarked cruiser to record its license plate, did not use lights or sirens, and did not initiate a pursuit.
On April 29 at about 10:05 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 11900 block of Livingston Road for a reported theft in progress, according to the Prince George’s County Police Department. An officer encountered two men leaving the store, and the suspects’ vehicle sped out of the parking lot. The officer followed in the unmarked cruiser to obtain the tag information. Moments later, the vehicle crashed on MD-210 (Indian Head Highway) near Palmer Road, and McMillan was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver was identified as 28-year-old Juan McMillan of Washington, D.C., as reported by Shore News Network. Investigators have not released information about speed, road conditions, or any other possible contributing factors in the collision.
Police timeline and unanswered questions
The department says the initial officer did not activate emergency equipment and that no formal pursuit was declared; the officer trailed the car only to capture its license plate number, the Prince George’s County Police Department states. Detectives with the Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Unit are handling the crash investigation while separate detectives continue to look into the organized retail theft that happened beforehand.
State review declined
Because officers were involved in the events leading up to the wreck, Prince George’s County Police reached out to the Maryland Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division for a potential review. After a preliminary assessment, the IID declined to take over the case, Shore News Network reported. That decision leaves county authorities to complete the investigation, and no criminal charges connected to the crash have been announced.
Why the location matters
Indian Head Highway (MD-210) is a major commuter route and has been the subject of ongoing safety and mobility planning. The Maryland State Highway Administration lists preliminary engineering for the Palmer Road and Livingston Road interchange among the MD-210 projects aimed at improving safety, along with pedestrian and bicycle access. Those long-term plans highlight local pressure to cut down on crashes along this stretch of roadway.
How to help
Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information is asked to contact Prince George’s County Crime Solvers. Tips can be submitted anonymously at pgcrimesolvers.com or by calling 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). Tipsters are asked to reference case number 26-0022686. Police say the investigation remains active and that additional details will be released as detectives gather more information.
