One person is under arrest after a vehicle involved in a fatal crash that killed a Prince George's County police officer was found, police said.
A silver Acura, which police pursued on Interstate 95 Monday, was found about 3 a.m. Tuesday in the 400 block of St. Louis Street SE in the District.
An occupant of the Acura was arrested in connection with the case, police spokesperson Julie Parker told News4's Chris Gordon. She did not specify whether the suspect under arrest was the driver of the Acura during Monday's incident. Police are looking for the other occupant of the Acura. Whoever was driving could face a vehicular homicide charge.
Officers Adrian Morris and Michael Risher were investigating an attempted car break-in at a Laurel gas station. Police were called after two people were seen trying to open the doors of a customer's car at a Shell station on Sandy Spring Road.
An employee was able to point out the suspect vehicle to responding police officers when it returned to the gas station, and the officers followed it. In the process of pursuing the vehicle, their cruiser crashed on I-95 near the Powder Mill Road exit, killing Morris, who was not wearing his seat belt according to Prince George's County police.
Dozens have turned out to remember the 23-year-old officer. At the 6th District station, the door is draped in black bunting. His colleagues said Morris wasn't tall but had a big heart.
“Morris represented the very best that our agency has to offer,” Chief of Police Mark Magaw said. “He wanted to be a Prince George’s County police officer from a very young age, and it showed in all of his interactions with the community.”
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
Morris, a 2007 graduate of Eleanor Roosevelt High School, was born in Jamaica and raised in Laurel, where he still lived. Before joining the force two-and-a-half years ago, Morris volunteered as a police explorer for five years. He continued with the explorers as an advisor and mentor upon joining the police department.
Officer Risher, who did wear his seat belt, was treated at a hospital for minor injuries and released.
