A D.C. police officer has died after being struck by a vehicle while helping a driver whose vehicle broke down on Interstate 695 in December, the police department announced Thursday.
Officer Terry Bennett died Wednesday, over two weeks after he was seriously injured while assisting a driver who ran out of gas in the eastbound lanes of I-695 near South Capitol Street, according to officials.
The crash took place on Dec. 23, 2025, at about 10:10 p.m. Police said the 32-year-old officer was standing just outside his police cruiser when he was hit by a secondary motorist driving at a “high rate of speed.”
The driver who struck Bennett remained on the scene and was later treated for non-life-threatening injuries, WTOP previously reported. The driver of the broken-down vehicle was not injured during the crash.
Around 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, hundreds of law enforcement officials lined 3rd Street NW near the U.S. Capitol.
D.C. police called the event a dignified escort, and many officers had their hands over their hearts and saluted as the cars drove by. A law enforcement helicopter circled overhead, WTOP’s Scott Gelman reported from the scene.
The route started at MedStar Washington Hospital Center and ended at the D.C. Medical Examiner’s Office.
Mentor, father figure, hero
Bennett, an eight-year veteran on the force, was born and raised in the District and graduated from Ballou Senior High School in 2011. He officially joined the D.C. police ranks in February 2018, having been assigned to the first district division.
“He was a loving and courageous father, husband, officer and coach,” D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said at a news conference Thursday. “We’re devastated by his loss.”
Bennett is survived by his wife and son.
“I just ask that everyone keep his family and the officers and members of the Metropolitan Police Department in their thoughts,” said Interim D.C. Police Chief Jeffrey Carroll. “Everyone really does appreciate that, and it does mean a lot to them.”
Bennett was very active in the Ballou community before joining the force.
After graduating from college, he returned to the high school and went on to serve as an associate dean. Later on, he became a member of the coaching staff for the football team.
“Through his coaching, mentorship and public service, he impacted the lives of countless students and Washingtonians and he leaves behind a legacy of love and courage,” Bowser said.
Ballou head football coach Kenny Brown called Bennett his “brother,” adding that he loved the school so much, he came back to help coach.
“We started off as co-coaches, then developed a friendship. But then when I became the head coach, and that bond got tighter, we really became brothers,” he said. “His consistency — he showed up every day, through marriage, through kids, through family, through on his own issues — he showed up every day.”
Brown described Bennett as affectionate and selfless, and said the students and members of the football team saw him as a mentor, a father figure and a hero.
“Terry Bennett is a hero, and that’s what he was to this community. That’s what he was to the guys,” Brown said.
Even after joining D.C. police, Principal William Haith said Bennett maintained strong ties in the community.
“His passion for helping people ensures that he will be remembered for going above and beyond for students and colleagues — always ready to step in with a gentle hand, kind word, or powerful encouragement,” Haith wrote in a letter to the school community. “He embodied the spirit of Ballou through his ever-present enthusiasm and dedication, and I know our students and staff will cherish our memories of Mr. Bennett.”
Deaths in the line of duty
The incident marks the 127th line of duty death in the D.C. police force’s history, according to the department’s news release.
“When you go through these times, it’s hard,” Carroll said. “The officers still have to go to work, people who work with him day in and day out.”
In a news release, the D.C. Police Union described Bennett as selfless and said he will continue to save lives through his status as an organ donor.
“Officer Terry Bennett represented the very best of our department and our union,” said Gregg
Pemberton, president of the union, in a statement. “He died doing what he always did: serving and
protecting the people of Washington, D.C., with compassion and courage.”
The December crash remains under investigation, with police yet to release an update on the matter.
“My prayers are with Officer Bennett’s wife and son, all of his loved ones and fellow officers, the Ballou community, and all who are mourning this tremendous loss,” Bowser said.
WTOP’s Alan Etter and Scott Gelman contributed to this report.
