Anne Arundel Officer Charged With Manslaughter In Fatal Laurel Crash

LAUREL, MD — An Anne Arundel County police officer was indicted and charged with manslaughter related to a fatal crash in the Howard County section of Laurel, authorities announced Wednesday.

Police said the officer, 30-year-old Alexander Rodriguez, was suspended without pay because he now faces two felony charges. Rodriguez, who has served in the department since March 2023, was previously suspended with pay pending the investigation.

The charges followed an investigation by Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown's office.

On Aug. 10, 2024, at approximately 4:11 a.m., a motorcycle driven by Joshua VanderZiel, 21, of Laurel, crashed into the side of a flatbed truck in the 9400 block of Washington Boulevard in Howard County. Witness accounts indicated that the truck was making a left turn from the access drive on Washington Boulevard into the southbound lanes when the motorcycle, traveling at a high rate of speed, was approaching northbound on Washington Boulevard. As the truck was making the left turn, the motorcycle hit the truck and VanderZiel was killed on impact, according to the Howard County Police Department.

On Aug. 14, 2024, the Independent Investigations Division received information from the Maryland State Police Crash Team that the crash may have been a police-involved death. On Aug. 20, 2024, the IID assumed the investigation after determining that the incident was a police-involved fatality involving Rodriguez. The IID’s investigation revealed that, on Aug. 10, 2024, Rodriguez, who was driving his marked police cruiser, engaged in a high-speed pursuit of VanderZiel that started in Anne Arundel County, continued through Prince George’s County and into Howard County, where the pursuit ended with the collision, the IID reported.

Rodriguez pursued VanderZiel for more than four miles at speeds twice the posted speed limit. At no time during the pursuit did Rodriguez activate his lights or sirens, notify dispatch communications of the pursuit or obtain authorization for the pursuit. After the fatal collision, Rodriguez abruptly stopped his vehicle, made a U-turn and sped southbound on Washington Boulevard. He did not notify anyone or make a report of the collision, he did not remain on scene and did not give aid. He returned to Anne Arundel County and continued his shift, according to the IID.

A grand jury of Howard County residents on Wednesday, April 2, indicted Rodriguez on one count of manslaughter by vehicle or vessel - gross negligence (felony), one count of manslaughter by vehicle or vessel - criminal negligence (misdemeanor), one count of duty of driver to remain at scene of accident resulting in death (felony) and five counts of misconduct in office (misdemeanors).

“I am absolutely appalled that an officer would endanger a person’s life and then flee the scene of a fatal crash without offering aid or reporting the incident,” said Brown. “This disregard for human life and misconduct from a member of law enforcement is a betrayal of public trust that undermines the safety of communities that police are sworn to protect.”

Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal Awad released this statement Wednesday:

We have fully cooperated and have been working in concert with the Office of the Attorney General since the initial stages of this investigation. The alleged actions of Officer Rodriguez contained in this indictment are deeply disturbing and not representative of the men and women of the Anne Arundel County Police Department. Our department will continue to cooperate with the Office of the Attorney General’s investigation.

Related: Anne Arundel Co. Officer Charged In Death Of Laurel Motorcyclist During Police Pursuit