Carjacking Vehicle Pursuit Leads To Fatal Shooting By Cops On I-95, Suspects Identified

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA — The driver of a carjacked vehicle was fatally shot by Virginia State Police during a pursuit Wednesday night on I-95 in Prince William County.

The officer-involved shooting happened on southbound I-95 at the 150 mile marker, which is near the Route 619 exit in Triangle. Around 10:15 p.m. Thursday, state police had located a vehicle wanted by U.S. Park Police for a carjacking at the 158 mile marker near the Prince William Parkway exit. Fox5DC reported that the carjacking was reported from Suitland, Maryland.

State police say a trooper attempted to stop the vehicle, but a pursuit started when the driver did not stop. During the pursuit by state police, the vehicle struck another state police vehicle, which overturned but did not injure the trooper inside. The crash happened around the 155 mile marker, just south of the Cardinal Road underpass.

State troopers forced the vehicle to stop around the Route 619 exit. Police say the driver refused multiple commands by state troopers.

"The driver made multiple abrupt furtive movements with his hands, causing state troopers on scene to utilize their duty weapons," state police said in a statement.

The driver was shot and pronounced dead at the scene. A passenger was flown to the Inova Fairfax Hospital and is in stable condition. A third passenger was uninjured and is in state police custody.

The driver was identified as Andy Ernesto Espinoza Garay, 26, of Lanham, Maryland.

The injured passenger, Merlin Alexander Cruz-Perdomo, 21, of Lanham, Maryland. A second passenger was identified as Jonathan Bonilla-Baires, 24, of Hyattsville, Maryland. Both were charged with grand larceny.

Four state troopers were involved in the shooting and were put on administrative leave, pending an investigation. The investigation findings will be given to the Prince William County Commonwealth's Attorney's office.

The officer-involved shooting closed southbound I-95 into the Thursday morning hours. InsideNova reported that lanes started to open again as of 6:30 a.m.