For the third time this week, a car chase involving U.S. Park Police in D.C. ended in a collision late Thursday.
Two earlier chases on Monday and Tuesday ended in collisions in Indian Head, Maryland, and near the White House, respectively. The collisions were first reported by WUSA9.
U.S. Park Police pursued a driver across town in the Thursday chase, a USPP spokesperson said in a statement to The Washington Sun.
The spokesperson said that just before midnight, USPP attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle “being operated recklessly” in the area of H and 11th Streets NE and pursued the vehicle when the driver did not stop. The driver, who has not been identified, struck a light pole near the intersection of Georgia Avenue and Fern Street NW before being arrested and taken to a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
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On Monday night, officers pursued a driver with an active warrant for assault with a deadly weapon, USPP said in a statement. That driver also fled the scene and struck another vehicle in Indian Head, Maryland, according to USPP. The suspect was taken into custody and treated at a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
USPP said in a statement that officers attempted another traffic stop for reckless driving early Tuesday. That driver sped away from the traffic stop and lost control of their vehicle before striking a building near the White House. Both occupants of the vehicle were detained after attempting to flee the scene and were taken to a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. One occupant was in possession of a controlled substance, USPP said.
Policies for USPP car chases were loosened recently. Last year, President Donald Trump issued an executive order allowing USPP to conduct vehicular pursuits if suspects were wanted for or suspected of felony offenses or if a threat to the general public existed.
The previous policy allowed pursuit of a vehicle only when the suspect was wanted for a violent felony offense or if the person had committed a felony and was in possession of a firearm.
The new policy drew criticism when a delivery driver was killed after being struck by a vehicle involved in a USPP pursuit in June.
A spokesperson for Mayor Muriel Bowser declined to comment and referred The Sun to Park Police. When asked for comment, the Metropolitan Police Department directed The Sun to USPP.
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