Police body cam shows DUI driver who killed D.C. police officer Terry Bennett laughed in disbelief after arrest

Police body cam shows DUI driver who killed DC police officer Terry Bennett laughed in disbelief after arrest

WASHINGTON, DC – A drunk driver accused of fatally striking Metropolitan Police Officer Terry Bennett while he was assisting a stranded motorist on I-695 has been charged with second-degree murder while armed after police say he laughed moments after being taken into custody.

Key Points

  • Officer Terry Bennett, 32, died 15 days after being struck while helping a driver on I-695.
  • Suspect Jerrold Coates allegedly had a blood alcohol level of 0.16 and marijuana in his system.
  • Coates has been charged with second-degree murder while armed and remains in custody.

Officer killed while helping stranded motorist

According to the Metropolitan Police Department, Officer Bennett was struck around 10:10 p.m. on December 23, 2025, while assisting a driver who had run out of gas on eastbound I-695 near South Capitol Street. Investigators said 33-year-old Jerrold Coates was driving at a high rate of speed when he hit Bennett, throwing the officer more than 20 feet.

Bennett was rushed to a local hospital where he remained in critical condition for more than two weeks before succumbing to his injuries on January 7, 2026.

A toxicology report later revealed that Coates had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.16—twice the legal limit—and traces of marijuana in his system. Witnesses reported that he laughed and joked while being placed under arrest, even after learning that an officer had been seriously injured.

A respected officer and community mentor

Officer Bennett, a D.C. native and graduate of Ballou Senior High School and Bucknell University, joined MPD in 2018. In addition to his police service, he spent over a decade mentoring students as an assistant football coach and defensive coordinator at Ballou.

“Officer Bennett was a model officer and a Washingtonian who wanted to make a positive impact on his community,” Interim Police Chief Jeffery Carroll said. “His loss is devastating for both our department and our city.”

Bennett’s family has authorized organ donation, continuing his legacy of service beyond the badge.

Coates remains in custody pending trial.