A former Maryland police officer admitted to fleeing a crash that killed a motorcyclist after an unauthorized high-speed pursuit across multiple jurisdictions.
Baltimore, Maryland – Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced Thursday that former Anne Arundel County Police Department officer Alexander Rodriguez pleaded guilty to a felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, stemming from a 2024 pursuit that ended in a fatal crash spanning three jurisdictions.
Rodriguez entered the guilty plea in the Circuit Court for Howard County before Judge Maurice Frazier as part of an agreement with the Office of the Attorney General, which prosecuted the case with assistance from multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Howard County Police Department and Maryland State Police. The case underscores heightened scrutiny of police conduct and accountability in fatal incidents involving officers.
Unauthorized pursuit crossed multiple counties
According to prosecutors, the incident occurred around 4 a.m. on August 10, 2024, when Rodriguez, then on duty in a marked patrol vehicle, attempted to block a motorcycle driven by Joshua Vanderziel at a gas station in Anne Arundel County.
When Vanderziel maneuvered around the cruiser and left the scene, Rodriguez initiated what investigators later determined was an unauthorized pursuit. The chase extended approximately 4.3 miles and crossed from Anne Arundel County into Prince George’s County and ultimately Howard County, with speeds exceeding 90 miles per hour.
Authorities said Rodriguez failed to activate his emergency lights or sirens, did not turn on his body-worn camera, and did not notify dispatchers or supervisors—violations of departmental policy. He also failed to alert authorities in neighboring jurisdictions as the pursuit crossed county lines.
Fatal crash and failure to render aid
The pursuit ended in Howard County when Vanderziel’s motorcycle collided with a commercial flatbed truck making a left turn on Washington Boulevard. The impact threw Vanderziel into the roadway, where he was later pronounced dead by responding emergency personnel.
Instead of stopping, Rodriguez braked, made a U-turn, and drove away from the crash scene, returning toward Anne Arundel County. Prosecutors said he did not exit his vehicle, render aid, secure the scene, or report the incident—actions required by both law and police training.
Rodriguez then resumed his patrol duties without notifying supervisors about the crash, according to the Attorney General’s Office.
Plea agreement and sentencing terms
Under the plea agreement, Rodriguez faces a sentence of five years in prison, with all but 120 days suspended, followed by two years of supervised probation. The agreement also requires him to complete 100 hours of community service and permanently bars him from pursuing a career in law enforcement.
“No one who endangers lives and then abandons a crash that resulted in a man’s death on the side of the road should be allowed to wear a police uniform,” Attorney General Brown said. “We cannot keep our communities safe if we do not hold people accountable when they break the law.”
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Key Points
• Former officer Alexander Rodriguez pleaded guilty to felony hit-and-run resulting in death
• Unauthorized high-speed pursuit crossed three Maryland jurisdictions before fatal crash
• Plea deal includes jail time, probation, and permanent ban from law enforcement
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Broader accountability concerns
Rodriguez is scheduled to be sentenced April 20 in the Circuit Court for Howard County, where the case remains under judicial review pending final disposition.
Alexander Rodriguez, Anne Arundel County Police, Maryland Attorney General, fatal hit-and-run, police pursuit investigation
