FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts
[email protected]
410-576-7009
The Independent Investigations Division (IID) of the Maryland Office of the Attorney General is investigating a fatal police-involved collision that occurred on Saturday, January 17, 2026, in Columbia, Howard County, Maryland.
The preliminary investigation revealed that on Saturday, January 17, 2026, at approximately 1:50 a.m., an officer with the Howard County Police Department, in an unmarked cruiser, was conducting traffic enforcement on Rt. 29 (Columbia Pike) near Johns Hopkins Road. The officer reported that he observed a Honda sedan traveling in excess of the posted speed limit northbound on Rt. 29. The officer followed the car and caught up to the Honda as it was exiting onto eastbound Rt. 32 (Patuxent Freeway). As the officer was traveling eastbound on Rt. 32, the officer activated his emergency equipment and attempted a traffic stop. The Honda did not stop and attempted to take the exit ramp from Rt. 32 onto Broken Land Parkway, where it immediately crashed into a wooded area and shortly thereafter caught fire. Officers attempted to put the fire out until Howard County Fire and Rescue Services arrived on the scene. The juvenile driver of the Honda was pronounced dead on the scene. The officers were equipped with body-worn cameras.
The IID, with assistance from the Maryland State Police Crash Team, is investigating the circumstances leading up to the collision. Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to contact the IID at (410) 576-7070 or by email at [email protected].
The IID will generally release the name of the decedent and any involved officers within two business days of the incident, although that period may be extended, if necessary, pursuant to IID protocol.
The IID will generally release body-worn camera footage within 20 business days of an incident. There may be situations where more than 20 days is necessary, including if investigators need more time to complete witness interviews, if there are technical delays caused by the need to shield the identities of civilian witnesses, or to allow family members to view the video before it is released to the public.
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