Passenger killed, driver charged in multivehicle crash in Southwest DC

An early morning crash in Southwest D.C. has left one person dead and four other injured. (WTOP/John Domen)
An early morning crash in Southwest D.C. has left one person dead. (WTOP/John Domen)
The striking vehicle was traveling along South Capitol Street around 3:15 a.m. when the driver began hitting at least three other cars along the road. (WTOP/John Domen)
The striking vehicle was traveling along South Capitol Street around 3:15 a.m. when the driver began hitting other cars along the road. (WTOP/John Domen)
D.C. police say the passenger in the striking car died. (WTOP/John Domen
D.C. police say the passenger in the striking car died. (WTOP/John Domen (WTOP/John Domen )
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An early morning crash in Southwest D.C. has left one person dead and four other injured. (WTOP/John Domen)
The striking vehicle was traveling along South Capitol Street around 3:15 a.m. when the driver began hitting at least three other cars along the road. (WTOP/John Domen)
D.C. police say the passenger in the striking car died. (WTOP/John Domen
An early morning crash in Southwest D.C. has left one person dead and four other injured. (WTOP/John Domen) (WTOP/John Domen )

WASHINGTON — The passenger of a vehicle is dead, and the driver arrested on a charge of murder, after a multivehicle crash Friday morning.

Forty-two-year old Rodney Bell, of Dale City, Virginia, was driving a Mercury Grand Marquis at a high rate of speed on South Capitol Street around 3 a.m., a news release said.

Bell struck a Volkswagen Passat that was stopped at a red light at South Capitol and First streets SW.

He continued, sliding sideways, and struck a Toyota Corolla that was stopped at a red light at South Capitol and Galveston streets SW.

Bell’s vehicle continued to slide until it mounted the curb and struck a metal traffic control pole, catching fire as a result of the collision, police said.

First responders arrived and found that Bell’s passenger, 32-year-old Kevin Thomas, of Temple Hills, Maryland, was dead.

Bell was arrested on charges of murder and possession of PCP.

 

Below is a map of where the crash took place.

WTOP’s John Domen and Abigail Constantino contributed to this report. 

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