Motorcyclist Sought in Pileup Is Identified

Pr. George's Officer Could Be Fired Over High-Speed Chase

Police work at the scene of May's crash on the Capital Beltway. Two men died when a police cruiser chasing a motorcyclist crashed into an SUV. (By Toni L. Sandys -- The Washington Post)

The motorcyclist who sparked a police chase that led to a fatal multi-vehicle crash on the Capital Beltway has been identified by a woman who was on the back of the motorcycle during the pursuit that reached speeds exceeding 120 mph, according to law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation.

New details about the May 30 crash emerged yesterday, a day after Prince George's County Police Chief Melvin C. High said police investigators have competed their portion of the inquiry and turned the case over to State's Attorney Glenn F. Ivey for review.

The crash -- one of the most grisly in the county in recent memory -- could lead to an officer's firing and criminal prosecution, according to the sources, who requested anonymity because the inquiry is ongoing. The police interview with the passenger on the motorcycle, accounts from more than 20 witnesses, a videotape of the chase and other evidence indicate that Officer Scott Campbell did not have adequate justification to initiate the high-speed chase, the sources said.

The sources said the police pursuit was over almost before it began. The motorcycle, with a man driving and a woman on the back, sped past in seconds and disappeared down the highway in rush-hour traffic as a Prince George's police officer gave chase in his cruiser. Moments later, the cruiser collided with a sport-utility vehicle, setting off a chain-reaction crash that killed two people and injured 15.

The passenger identified the motorcycle's driver in an interview with investigators several weeks ago, sources said. Police subsequently found the motorcycle at the man's home and examined it thoroughly before returning it, but investigators say its relevance to the case is uncertain, the sources said.

Cpl. Clinton Copeland, a Prince George's police spokesman, declined to say whether the motorcyclist or anyone else had been charged in the accident. Police have denied several requests to identify the officer, but sources have identified him as Campbell, a five-year veteran of the force.

Attempts to reach Campbell have been unsuccessful, and it is unclear whether he has hired an attorney.

High said in a written statement Thursday that his department has forwarded evidence to Ivey. The chief did not identify the officer involved but said he has been placed on administrative leave with pay, pending the outcome of a review by Ivey's office and the completion of an internal police investigation.

"Our investigators and the State's Attorney's Office have been in regular contact, as they have assisted us during the course of the criminal investigation in summoning witnesses and obtaining arrest warrants," High said.

Ivey said Friday he had not had a chance to review the file, but he expects prosecutors to determine whether the case should be forwarded to a grand jury in the next two weeks.

"We're going to conduct a thorough review in an objective way and will be as expeditious as possible," Ivey said. "But we want to make sure we do it the right way."

The incident began about 7 p.m. when the motorcyclist reportedly was seen weaving through traffic near the Ritchie Marlboro Road exit. Sources said Campbell initiated the chase without radioing to dispatchers, as required under the police department's pursuit policy. Moments later, he slammed into the SUV, killing Kevin McCarter, 49, of Fort Washington, and his friend Sidney Clanton Jr., 55, of Buffalo, almost instantly.