Maryland Officer Indicted for Fatal Unauthorized Chase

Officer Alexander Rodriguez, 30, of the Anne Arundel County Police Department, has been indicted following a high-speed pursuit that resulted in the death of 21-year-old motorcyclist Joshua VanderZiel. The chase, which reached speeds of up to 100 mph, began on August 10, 2024, but Rodriguez failed to activate his lights or sirens and did not report the pursuit to dispatch. After VanderZiel crashed into a flatbed truck, Rodriguez allegedly fled the scene without offering assistance or notifying authorities, returning to his shift instead. He faces charges of vehicular manslaughter, failure to remain at the scene of a fatal accident, and misconduct in office. The indictment marks the second case prosecuted by the Maryland Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division since gaining authority to charge police officers in 2023. The Anne Arundel County Police Chief emphasized that Rodriguez's actions do not reflect the department's values.