Man Wanted in Multiple Criminal Cases in Virginia and D.C. Arrested Following Multi-Highway Chase
A man who allegedly caused multiple vehicle crashes on highways in Northern Virginia and fled into the District with a stolen ambulance has been apprehended and now faces numerous charges. According to court records, the suspect, identified as 30-year-old Darell T. Caldwell, had been wanted in multiple criminal cases in both Virginia and D.C.
The chaotic incident took place on Saturday when Caldwell reportedly rammed into vehicles on Interstates 66 and 395, causing more than a dozen crashes and deliberately targeting pedestrians at Virginia’s Gravelly Point Park. Authorities have confirmed that several people sustained injuries during the series of collisions.
Police pursued Caldwell as he fled across the 14th Street Bridge and into the District. The wreckage left behind from the crashes resulted in significant traffic congestion for several hours and resulted in delays for baseball fans heading to Nationals Park for an evening game.
The pursuit finally came to an end when the stolen ambulance crashed into a parked car just two blocks south of the National Mall. Law enforcement officers promptly arrested Caldwell at gunpoint. It was revealed that he had left his driver’s license inside the stolen truck, which had been involved in a prior crash.
In D.C. Superior Court on Monday, Caldwell’s court-appointed attorney entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf. However, a federal prosecutor argued that Caldwell’s actions constituted a “dangerous crime” and requested that he be detained. The judge agreed, setting a hearing date for Thursday.
Court documents indicate that Caldwell had been the subject of multiple arrest warrants in Virginia, related to charges such as shoplifting, larceny, and narcotics violations. He also faced an arrest warrant in D.C. for allegedly failing to appear in court in June, in connection with another incident involving a stolen vehicle.
In a separate incident in April, Caldwell allegedly stole a Cadillac Escalade in Northeast Washington and attempted to drive it on railroad tracks, resulting in getting the vehicle stuck.
The series of events on Saturday began when Virginia State Police responded to a crash involving a stolen truck on I-66 near Route 110. Shortly after, Caldwell was involved in a multi-vehicle crash on the northbound lanes of I-395. Video footage captured Caldwell’s truck plowing into other vehicles before colliding with a concrete barrier.
Upon fleeing from the disabled truck, Caldwell allegedly stole another truck at Gravelly Point. Witnesses noted that he seemed “incoherent” during a brief interaction before intentionally trying to run over a group of people. He then drove onto a bicycle path, crossed the grass, and traveled against traffic on George Washington Memorial Parkway, eventually crashing into a van.
As this unfolded, an ambulance crew from Arlington County was en route to the crash on I-395 when they encountered the situation on the parkway. While they were treating motorists, Caldwell seized the opportunity and stole the ambulance. However, alert medics managed to signal a Virginia State Police trooper, which led to a pursuit that ended in the District.
During the pursuit, Caldwell reportedly reversed the stolen ambulance into a police cruiser before driving off again. When authorities finally apprehended him in D.C., they discovered Caldwell unconscious. Paramedics administered Narcan, a nasal spray used to counteract opioid overdoses, before he regained consciousness.
Caldwell now faces charges in the District, including fleeing from police and unauthorized use of a vehicle. Additional charges are expected to be filed in Virginia.