A juvenile boy was ejected from a vehicle and airlifted to a local hospital Thursday after the car overturned on I-295 northbound just north of the Malcolm X Avenue exit in Southeast D.C., according to police. The adult woman driving the vehicle was also taken to a hospital for treatment and was arrested at the scene, police said.
Police responded to the crash involving an overturned vehicle on Thursday, and the boy was ejected during the wreck, according to police cited by DC News Now. The outlet reported that the child received treatment for his injuries at a local hospital, though police had not disclosed his exact age. Charges against the driver remain pending as the investigation continues, the report notes.
The crash forced a full shutdown of all northbound travel lanes on I-295 near the Malcolm X Avenue SE exit, known as Exit 2, according to WTOP, which reported traffic was halted before the roadway reopened later Thursday. The closure hit a corridor that serves as a major artery for commuters heading from Southeast Washington into downtown.
What D.C. Law Says About Restraints and Reckless Driving
The ejection of a juvenile passenger raises questions about seat belt or child restraint compliance under D.C. law, though the dossier does not confirm what caused the ejection. Under D.C. Code § 50-1703, drivers transporting passengers under 16 must ensure they are properly restrained, with children under 8 required to sit in an installed child safety seat or booster seat, per the Metropolitan Police Department. Separately, D.C. law mandates seat belt use for all occupants in both front and rear seats under primary enforcement, carrying a $50 fine and two license points per unbelted adult, according to Vision Zero DC.
Depending on what investigators determine, the driver could face a range of potential charges. Driving recklessly in a way that causes bodily harm is classified as aggravated reckless driving under D.C. Code § 50-2201.04, carrying penalties of up to a year in prison, fines, and mandatory license points, according to Koehler Law. If impairment is found to be a factor, D.C. Code § 50-2206 imposes mandatory license suspension and potential jail time, with heightened penalties when minors are involved, per Wagner PLLC.
Repeated Crashes Along a Recently Rebuilt Corridor
The Major Crash Investigations Unit typically leads scene reconstruction and evidence collection whenever a collision results in severe, life-threatening injuries or potential criminal charges, according to protocols cited by 1DCAC. That unit works alongside the District Department of Transportation to evaluate roadway design factors following major collisions.
The stretch of I-295 near Malcolm X Avenue SE has drawn scrutiny before. DDOT recently completed a major overhaul of the I-295 and Malcolm X Avenue SE interchange, reconfiguring highway access ramps and widening surrounding roadways, in part to support increased traffic tied to the St. Elizabeths West Campus development, per DDOT project records. In June, a 17-year-old scooter rider was killed near Malcolm X and MLK after colliding with an SUV nearby.
A Citywide Surge in Traffic Deaths
This crash lands amid a sharp rise in traffic fatalities across the District. Traffic deaths in Washington doubled during the first six months of 2026 compared with the same period last year, climbing to 21 fatalities from nine, according to city data reported by The Washington Post. City crash records also show that between 2017 and 2021, unrestrained occupants accounted for 9.3% of all traffic fatalities in D.C., or 15 of 161 deaths, per Vision Zero DC.
The crash investigation remains ongoing, and no charges have been formally announced. Police have not released the identities of either the driver or the juvenile passenger, and the extent of the boy's injuries has not been disclosed.
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