One Dead As Driver Flees Police Traffic Stop Near White House

A person has died after a driver fleeing a US Secret Service traffic stop ploughed into pedestrians near the White House.

The fatal collision in the heart of Washington DC unfolded as uniformed officers pulled the car over for an expired registration plate.

The motorist drove off through a red light and “struck multiple individuals in the crosswalk” before fleeing, said the Secret Service.

The suspect is still at large.

The incident happened just before 13:30 local time (17:30 GMT) on Wednesday as uniformed Secret Service officers pulled over the driver, who was in a 2006 blue Honda Accord.

The suspect “indicated that they would stop the vehicle, but then quickly fled”, the agency said in a statement.

Secret Service Spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said police were “working to locate the suspect”.

“Our deepest condolences go out to the victim’s family,” he said.

Officers at the scene – an area typically crowded with tourists and other visitors to the nation’s capital – provided first aid to those injured.

“One person was transported from the scene in critical condition and later succumbed to injures at an area hospital,” officials said in a statement.

The victim was a 75-year-old man, according to CBS Washington. A 13-year-old girl was also treated for injuries at the scene, according to local reports.

The Secret Service has asked local law enforcement to be on the lookout for the suspect in the crash.

The crash is strikingly similar to another fatal hit-and-run near the White House in December 2022.

While fleeing a Secret Service traffic stop, the suspect’s car ploughed into a crowd of pedestrians, killing one and injuring others.

Police arrested 35-year-old Spiro Stafilatos and he is awaiting trial on charges of murder and aggravated assault.

Source: BBC