MPD arrests driver charged in death of officer struck on I 695
Washington, DC — In the darkness along Interstate 695, an officer helping stranded drivers was struck by a speeding SUV, a collision that would claim his life weeks later and lead to a murder charge against the driver now in custody.
Officer Terry Bennett was assisting a motorist who had run out of gas in the eastbound lanes of I‑695 near South Capitol Street late Tuesday night when he was hit by a Volvo XC90 traveling through slow traffic. The impact also sent Bennett’s patrol cruiser into a disabled Honda Ridgeline that had been stopped in the roadway.
Earlier that evening, Bennett had responded to a minor crash involving the Honda Ridgeline and a Ford Focus near Exit 1B for 6th Street Southeast. After the drivers exchanged information, the Ford left the scene, while Bennett remained behind with emergency lights activated, waiting for a tow truck to clear the disabled vehicle.
At about 10:10 p.m., the Volvo struck Bennett while he was outside his cruiser. Officers found the Volvo’s driver, later identified as Jerrold Lonnell Coates, unconscious but breathing near the vehicle. Fire and EMS personnel administered Narcan, after which the driver regained consciousness and was taken to a hospital before being released pending investigation.
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Officer Bennett was rushed to a local hospital, where he remained until he died on Wednesday. He was 127th officer to die in the line of duty in the department’s 164‑year history.
Following an investigation by the Major Crash Investigations Unit, members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested the 47‑year‑old Northwest DC resident on Friday. Coates is charged with second degree murder while armed with a vehicle.
The driver of the Honda Ridgeline was not injured. The investigation remains closed following the arrest.
Key Points
- Officer Terry Bennett was struck and killed while assisting motorists on I‑695
- The driver of the vehicle has been arrested and charged with second degree murder
- The crash occurred as the officer waited for a tow to clear a disabled vehicle
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