Dirt bike rider's family says D.C. police caused fatal crash
WASHINGTON (ABC7) — The family of a man killed Friday in D.C. says police caused his fatal dirt bike crash.
Twenty-two-year-old Jeffrey Price’s uncle said Sunday that a D.C. police cruiser intentionally blocked his nephew while he was riding his dirt bike Friday, leading to his collision with the vehicle that resulted in his death.
Skid marks still visible at the scene Sunday are proof that police were in the wrong in the crash, according to Price’s family.
"Clearly, the Metropolitan police officer was not trying to make a turn,” said the uncle who did want to be identified or have his face shown on camera. “He was not making a turn. He came across to intentionally block my nephew.”
Price collided with the squad car around 1:21 p.m. at the intersection of Fitch Place and Division Avenue, NE. He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Under Metropolitan Police Department policy, police are not supposed to chase or block dirt bike or ATV riders, even though it’s illegal to ride either in the city.
“This is a violation of their policy by blocking my nephew in,” the uncle said.
On Friday, D.C. police told ABC7’s Q McCray on Twitter that they had no evidence of a pursuit in the case. Witnesses, though, say otherwise.
Price's family knows dirt bike riding is illegal in the city, seemingly acknowledging that Price shouldn’t have been riding it.
Still, the uncle said D.C. police is at fault for Price's death.
“I apologize on behalf of the family, I apologize,” the uncle said. “But that does not give Metropolitan police the right to murder my nephew."
According to the markings, at one point, Price was riding on the wrong side of the road, but the crash happened on the right side of the road.
The Metropolitan Police Department said Sunday night that the investigation is ongoing and they are asking witnesses to come forward.
