Prince George’s Co. police officer charged in connection with deadly 2020 crash

A Prince George’s County, Maryland, police officer is charged with misconduct in office related to a chase in July 2020 that led to the deaths of a mother and son.

Police say it all started when a clerk at a gas station on Old Branch Avenue in Clinton called police to report odd behavior by some people in an SUV.



An officer responded and briefly spoke to those people, but the driver took off, leading to a high-speed chase that went on for more than six miles.

It ended when the SUV crashed into some utility poles on Old Branch Avenue near Tarquin Avenue in Clinton.

The driver, Lynda Jones, 62, and her son Richard Jones, 42, both of Capitol Heights, were killed.

Prosecutors said the pursuit was unauthorized.

The ranking officer in that chase, suspended Prince George’s County Police Sgt. Shaun Urbina, was charged Thursday with misconduct in office.

Four other officers suspended after the chase have returned to full duty.

A separate internal affairs investigation isn’t finished yet.

Michelle Basch

Michelle Basch is a reporter turned morning anchor at WTOP News.

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