BALTIMORE – An Anne Arundel County Police officer is charged with manslaughter and other offences during a tragic high-speed chase in August of last year. On Wednesday, a grand jury indicted Officer Alex Rodriguez, age 30.
On August 10, 2024, just after 4 a.m., Joshua VanderZiel, 21, of Laurel, Maryland, slammed his motorbike into the side of a flatbed truck on the 9400 block of Washington Boulevard in Howard County. Witnesses said that the vehicle was making a left turn from Washington Boulevard’s access road into the southbound lanes when VanZiel collided with it and died on contact.
The Howard County Police Department began investigating the crash. A few days later, the Independent Investigations Division learnt that the crash may have involved a police officer. On August 20, it was established that Rodriguez was involved in the crash.
Attorney General Anthony Brown and IID conducted an investigation, which found that Rodriguez was driving his marked police cruiser when he participated in a high-speed pursuit with VanderZiel. The pursuit continued for more than four miles through Prince George’s and Howard counties, with speeds twice the posted limit. The AG’s office stated that Rodriguez never activated his lights and sirens or notified dispatch of the chase. The AG’s office stated that the chase was not authorised.
Brown considers the reported events following the chase the most troubling.
“Officer Rodriguez slammed on his brakes, did a U-turn in proximity to where Joshua crashed into the truck and fled the scene,” according to Brown. “He did not submit a report and did not even seek emergency medical treatment. He abandoned Joshua, who died in the dark.
The Anne Arundel County Police Chief issued a statement calling the claims “deeply disturbing and not representative of the men and women of the Anne Arundel County Police Department.”
Overall, Rodriguez was charged with one felony count of manslaughter by vehicle or vessel – gross negligence, one misdemeanour count of manslaughter by vehicle or vessel – criminal negligence, one felony count of duty of driver to remain at scene of accident resulting in death, and five misdemeanour counts of misconduct in office.
A criminal indictment is only an accusation of misconduct, not proof of a defendant’s guilt. Officer Rodriguez is assumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
