The site of today’s early morning crash. Photo by María Helena Carey
This morning at 5:19 a.m, a silver four-door Honda coupe with Virginia plates collided with the fence right outside the Daniel Webster Senate Page Residence, 300 4th Street NE.
The driver and three occupants were traveling at a high rate of speed moving westbound on C Street NE, possibly chased by police. As the driver attempted to make a left turn onto 4th Street, he took the turn too widely and collided with the wall along 4th Street NE. All four occupants fled the car and took off on foot. United States Park Police brought in a helicopter to aid in the manhunt, which was heard as far as Lincoln Park and near Miner Elementary in NE, according to our readers on Twitter. The helicopter stopped flying overhead around 5:55 a.m. The car had been stolen the night prior from the area around 17th and East Capitol Street. This morning at 7:27 a.m., Lieutenant Damion Taylor shared the following email with the First District community:
The vehicle in this offense was observed by U.S. Park Police and recovered at 4th and D Streets Northeast. The suspects remain at large as the vehicle is being processed for evidence. Officers have cleared the scene at 4th and D Streets Northeast returning traffic flow to normal conditions. Anyone with information relative to this case is asked to call the Command Information Center on 202-727-9099 or the First District Detectives on 202-299-2025. Thank you.
While the report says the car was observed and recovered, clearly the car was violently crashed and abandoned after a police chase. No word on whether the suspects have been apprehended.
Thank you to neighbor and THIH reader Bob Bateman for sharing the video below and additional information with us. Thank you also to Capitol Police for telling me there was a manhunt underway this morning at 5:31 a.m.– not exactly comforting, but I appreciated knowing a little more at an early hour.
A neighbor just shared these videos re: this morning’s crash. Stand by for a post. pic.twitter.com/nYNJhgUU7r
— theHillisHome (@theHillisHome) May 11, 2018
Update: Mark Eckenwiler, ANC 6C04, sent an email to his SMD after contacting U.S. Park Police. Park Police reports that two of the men who fled the scene on foot have been caught.