Former Anne Arundel County police officer Alexander Rodriguez pleaded guilty Thursday to a felony count of leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in death.
Rodriguez entered the plea April 9, 2026, in the Circuit Court for Howard County before Judge Maurice Frazier. The case stems from an August 10, 2024, incident in which a high-speed unauthorized pursuit initiated by Rodriguez led to the fatal crash of 21-year-old Joshua Vanderziel of Laurel.
Under the plea agreement, Rodriguez faces a sentence of five years in prison, with all but 120 days suspended, followed by two years of supervised probation. The probation includes 100 hours of community service and a provision barring him from seeking any law enforcement career in Maryland. Sentencing is scheduled for April 20, 2026, in Howard County Circuit Court.
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced the plea and stated, “No one who endangers lives and then abandons a crash that resulted in a man’s death on the side of the road should be allowed to wear a police uniform. By accepting this plea agreement, Rodriguez will never again serve as a law enforcement officer in Maryland.”
Brown added, “We cannot keep our communities safe if we do not hold people accountable when they break the law. The outcome that our Office secured makes clear that no one is above the law, regardless of their career.”
The events unfolded shortly after 4 a.m. on August 10, 2024. Rodriguez, then on patrol in a marked Anne Arundel County Police Department cruiser, followed Vanderziel’s motorcycle into a gas station in Anne Arundel County. Rodriguez attempted to block the motorcycle at a gas pump, but Vanderziel drove around the cruiser and left the station.
Rodriguez then began an unauthorized pursuit that covered approximately 4.3 miles across three jurisdictions: Anne Arundel County, Prince George’s County and Howard County. Speeds exceeded 90 mph. Rodriguez did not activate emergency lights or sirens, did not turn on his body-worn camera, did not notify dispatch or seek supervisor approval, and failed to inform other agencies when he crossed into Laurel and Howard County.
In Howard County, Vanderziel crashed into a commercial flatbed truck that was turning left on Washington Boulevard. Vanderziel was thrown from the motorcycle into the street. Rodriguez slowed, made a U-turn on Washington Boulevard and drove back toward Anne Arundel County without stopping at the scene, providing aid or securing the area, contrary to his training and department policy.
Howard County emergency personnel arrived and pronounced Vanderziel dead at the scene. Rodriguez returned to patrol duties without reporting the incident to supervisors.
The Maryland Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division led the probe, with assistance from the Howard County Police Department, Maryland State Police, Anne Arundel County Police Department and Laurel Police Department.
This case highlights procedures governing police pursuits and officer accountability following serious incidents. The plea resolves the felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death and failing to remain at the scene.
Vanderziel, 21, was a resident of Laurel in Anne Arundel County near the Howard County line. The crash occurred in the 9400 block of Washington Boulevard in Howard County.
No additional charges against Rodriguez were mentioned in Thursday’s announcement. The plea agreement specifies the exact terms, including the ban on future law enforcement employment.
The announcement was made from Baltimore by the Attorney General’s Office on April 10, 2026, the day after the plea hearing.
