BALTIMORE – The Independent Investigations Division (IID) of the Office of the Attorney General yesterday released its investigative reports of the August 13, 2023, fatal officer-involved crash in the Morningside area of Prince George’s County, Maryland.
On August 13, 2023, at approximately 1:40 p.m., Prince George’s County Public Safety Communications received a call reporting a black BMW car following the 911 caller and “firing shots.” Several minutes later, Officer Stephen Huddleston with the Morningside Police Department spotted a black BMW traveling along Suitland Road, near the location provided by the 911 caller. The BMW approached the intersection of Suitland Road and Allentown Road when the driver, later identified as Dashawn Redding, lost control and struck a car in a northbound turning lane on Allentown Road.
Mr. Redding fled from the car on foot, before being apprehended by Morningside Police. A loaded handgun was recovered from the BMW at the scene. An adult male driver, Rogelio Sanchez Gomez, and two juveniles were inside the silver Ford Taurus that had been struck by the BMW. Mr. Sanchez Gomez, was taken to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries, and died two days later. The two juvenile passengers in the Taurus suffered minor injuries and were taken to the hospital where they were treated and released.
The IID and the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office agreed that an interim report would be useful because all aspects of the investigation were final other than the autopsy and crash report. The IID forwarded its interim investigative report to the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office on September 26, 2023. The IID sent a supplemental report to the State’s Attorney on January 23, 2024, which provided the results of the autopsy and crash report and concluded its investigation. The Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office notified the IID on June 7, 2024, of its decision not to prosecute the case.
The IID’s reports contain detailed investigative findings and an analysis of relevant legal issues. Because the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office—not the IID—retains prosecution authority[1] in this case, the reports do not make any recommendations as to whether any individual should or should not be charged. A copy of the investigative reports can be found here.
