Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced on Tuesday that no charges will be filed against officers involved in a fatal vehicle collision in La Plata, Charles County, on December 3, 2024. The crash, which occurred during a high-speed pursuit initiated in Virginia, resulted in the death of a juvenile passenger in the pursued vehicle.
The incident began at approximately 3:37 a.m. on December 3, when a King George County Sheriff’s Office deputy in Virginia pursued a Kia sedan suspected in a robbery. By 3:45 a.m., the chase crossed into Charles County, Maryland, along U.S. Route 301. Charles County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Corporal Katie Bottorf, La Plata Police Officer Tommy Johnston, and Corporal Jacob Shuar were notified and positioned themselves along Route 301 with emergency lights activated. They deployed tire deflation devices to stop the Kia, which was traveling at speeds up to 100 mph. The vehicle struck two devices but continued driving. Maryland officers did not actively join the pursuit.
At approximately 4:06 a.m., the Kia collided with an uninvolved civilian vehicle at the intersection of Route 301 and Port Tobacco Road in La Plata. The three Maryland officers immediately provided aid to the occupants of both vehicles until emergency medical services arrived. The driver of the civilian vehicle sustained non-life-threatening injuries, was treated at a local hospital, and released. The Kia’s juvenile driver was hospitalized, treated, and released. The front-seat passenger, also a juvenile, suffered critical injuries and died on December 6, 2024.
The Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division (IID) launched an investigation into the officer-involved collision on December 3, 2024, and completed it on June 5, 2025. The IID reviewed all available evidence, including body camera footage released on January 7, 2025, as detailed in a Southern Maryland Chronicle report. The investigation concluded that the officers’ actions did not constitute a crime under Maryland law. A detailed declination report from the IID outlines the findings and legal analysis.
The officers involved were identified in a December 6, 2024, Southern Maryland Chronicle article. Their role was limited to setting up tire deflation devices and rendering aid post-collision, with no active pursuit conducted by Maryland law enforcement. The Virginia sheriff’s deputy initiated and maintained the chase, which crossed state lines.
The IID’s investigation focused on the officers’ use of tire deflation devices and their response at the scene. The devices, intended to safely stop the fleeing vehicle, are standard in high-speed pursuit scenarios. Despite the Kia continuing after hitting the devices, the officers adhered to protocol by not engaging in a high-speed chase, reducing risk to the public. After the collision, their immediate aid to the injured demonstrated compliance with training and duty.
The decision not to prosecute reflects the IID’s finding that the officers’ actions were lawful and did not contribute criminally to the fatal outcome. The collision resulted from the Kia driver’s high-speed flight, which ended in the intersection crash with the civilian vehicle. The Attorney General’s Office emphasized that the declination report provides transparency into the investigative process and legal reasoning.
This incident marks another case handled by the IID, established to investigate officer-involved fatalities and use-of-force incidents in Maryland. The division operates independently to ensure impartiality. The public can access the declination report for further details on the investigation’s scope and conclusions.
