Beltway Chase Wasn't Called In, Sources Say

The police chase that led to a fatal multi-vehicle crash last month on the Capital Beltway in Prince George's County was not called in to dispatchers, in apparent violation of department policy on high-speed pursuits, several law enforcement sources said.

Sources familiar with the inquiry into the May 30 accident that killed two men and injured 15 people said that a camera in the police cruiser recorded speeds of more than 120 mph as Officer Scott Campbell drove briefly onto the shoulder and back onto the highway in pursuit of a motorcyclist.

The chase began about 7 p.m. when Campbell, on routine patrol, saw the motorcyclist weaving through rush-hour traffic on the outer loop near the Ritchie Marlboro Road exit, the sources said.

Officers said Campbell's cruiser slammed into a sport-utility vehicle after the motorcycle cut in front of the SUV. The collision sent the SUV over a guardrail and into traffic on the inner loop, triggering a chain-reaction crash that involved five other cars. The motorcyclist sped off.

The sources, who requested anonymity because the inquiry is ongoing, said Campbell, a well-regarded officer with more than five years on the force, did not call in the pursuit and radioed dispatchers only after the accident.

Campbell could not be reached yesterday.

The sources said Campbell has been distraught since the crash. If investigators determine that he was at fault, he could face severe internal disciplinary action or even prosecution, the sources said.

According to a recent copy of the Prince George's police department vehicle pursuit policy obtained by The Washington Post, officers can take part in pursuits in the county only if there is probable cause that the suspect was involved in the use or threat of physical force or was involved in a hit-and-run accident that resulted in death or serious injury. An officer who engages in a chase is required to radio a dispatcher, who must immediately notify a supervisor, the policy says.

The officer is also required to provide the dispatcher with the location, speed and progress of the pursuit. The policy says that an officer's primary concern should be the preservation of life and that capturing or identifying a suspect is secondary to safety.

Prince George's police spokeswoman Sharon Taylor said the investigation is ongoing and declined to discuss the accident or the officer's involvement. She said Prince George's Police Chief Melvin C. High has said that the inquiry into the crash is "continuing consistent with our process."

In response to questions yesterday about the police department's policy on pursuits, Lt. April Delabrer declined to comment. Requests for comments about the search for the motorcyclist were also declined.

On the night of the accident, police told reporters that an officer had pursued a speeding motorcyclist, but they backed off any characterization of the incident the next day. A June 1 police news release said the cruiser was "following a speeding motorcycle."