Anne Arundel County police officer charged with manslaughter, misconduct in fatal crash
An officer with the Anne Arundel County Police Department is facing charges after a fatal crash in Howard County.
On August 10, 2024, around 4:11 a.m., a motorcycle being operated by 21-year-old Joshual VanderZiel of Laurel crashed into the side of a flatbed truck in the 9400 block of Washington Boulevard in Howard County, the Maryland Attorney General's Office said.
According to witnesses, the truck was making a left turn from the access drive on Washington Boulevard into the southbound lanes when the speeding motorcycle was approaching northbound on Washington Boulevard.
As the motorcycle was making the left turn, it struck the truck, and VanderZiel was killed on impact, officials said.
On August 13, the AG's Independent Investigations Division (IID) received information from Maryland State Police that the incident may have been a police-involved death.
Days later, the IID learned that the incident involved Officer Rodriguez. According to their investigation, Rodriguez was driving his marked police cruiser and engaged VanderZiel in a high-speed chase that began in Anne Arundel County, continued through Prince George's County, and into Howard County, where the chase ended and VanderZiel crashed.
During the pursuit, Rodriguez never activated his lights or sirens, did not notify dispatch of the pursuit, or obtain authorization to begin the pursuit, according to the AG.
After the collision, Rodriguez stopped his vehicle abruptly, made a U-turn, and sped southbound on Washington Boulevard, fleeing the scene. Rodriguez did not report the collision or render aid, but instead returned to Anne Arundel County to continue his shift, officials said.
"I am absolutely appalled that an officer would endanger a person's life and then flee the scene of a fatal crash without offering aid or reporting the incident," Attorney General Brown said in a statement.
"This disregard for human life and misconduct from a member of law enforcement is a betrayal of public trust that undermines the safety of communities that police are sworn to protect."
Rodriguez, who has been with Anne Arundel County Police since March 2023, faces one count of felony vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, one misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter with criminal negligence, and one felony count of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death. He also faces five misdemeanor counts of misconduct in office.
