Anne Arundel investigation ends with fiery car crash in DC

Two people were killed in a fiery crash Tuesday after a police chase investigating an armed robbery near Annapolis ended with a car crashing into a tree and bursting into flames in Washington, DC.

Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal Awad and U.S. Parks Police Chief Jessica Taylor said during a news conference that the chase began around 12:15 p.m. in southern Anne Arundel County when officers spotted a white BMW suspected of being involved in more than 40 armed robberies in the area this year.

The robberies all took place near ATMs and banks, Awad said.

The driver continued to flee west on Route 50 and the chase continued through Prince George’s County and into Washington, D.C., Awad said. Other jurisdictions were called in to coordinate the pursuit, Awad said.

“Yes, they have been linked to other jurisdictions, including Prince George’s,” Awad said. “We are following up on the leads right now.”

During the chase, someone threw a gun out of the car, Taylor said. The weapon was confiscated, Taylor said.

The car sped over a hill and “immediately hit a tree,” Taylor said. The car burst into flames, killing two people, she added. A third person was arrested and taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

How fast the BMW was traveling when it hit the tree is still being investigated, Taylor said.

The names of the three people in the BMW were not immediately released on Tuesday.

“Our deepest sympathies go out to all the people who have been victims of these suspects who chose to sacrifice innocent people and their lives,” said Pamela Smith, chief of the Metropolitan Police. “I am also fully aware that there will be families who will be grieving because of the decision these young people have made today.”