A man is in custody after hitting several cars, fatally striking a pedestrian, then hitting several more cars before crashing in Northeast D.C. Friday night.
According to police, Woodrow Johnson, 52, of Capitol Heights, Md., was driving a white van around 6 p.m. when he sped through Benning Road in Northeast, striking at least three cars. Police say he then hit a woman in the crosswalk. She was later pronounced dead and idenfied at Shamika Smith, 24, of Washington.
Johnson then kept plowing through traffic, striking several other cars before crashing at 44th Street NE. Officers say they were not in pursuit of the man during the incident and witnesses say he was acting erratically while driving through Benning Road.
"I just saw a path of destruction where he had hit several vehicles coming out of Maryland into D.C.," witness Kevin Miller told News4.
Police are investigating whether the driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
