Maryland

Police Chase, Crash Causes Miles-Long Beltway Backup; 1 Dead

A man has died and southbound traffic on the Beltway was backed up for more than 10 miles in Maryland during the evening rush hour Friday. 

A group of men attempted an armed robbery and fled from police. Then, an officer's vehicle hit one of the men, police say. 

The identity of the man who was killed was not released immediately. 

Four suspects in the attempted robbery are in custody. 

Earlier Friday, southbound lanes of the Beltway were completely closed after the crash on I-495 between Route 1 and Greenbelt Road in College Park.

All lanes have since reopened.

Chopper4 footage showed medics helping at least one person, and several men who appeared to have been detained.

Montgomery County police were called to the 11200 block of Georgia Avenue in Wheaton for a report of an armed robbery at a check-cashing business Friday afternoon. Several armed men got out of a white van and tried to rob the business. 

Officers across the region were told to search for the van. Then, an officer spotted it on the Beltway. 

But the driver drove off at high speed. 

As police attempted to stop the vehicle, a man got out of the van and was hit by an unmarked police vehicle.

"Montgomery County officers, in their vehicles, were attempting to stop that vehicle when, for reasons still under investigation, one of the occupants of that vehicle exited the suspect vehicle and was struck in the roadway," Capt. Paul Starks said. 

The man died at the scene.

Police are investigating whether the men are responsible for a string of robberies in Montgomery County, including a robbery at a gas station and a food truck.

Stay with News4 for more details on this developing story.

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