A man driving a stolen truck plowed into multiple vehicles on Interstate 395 in Virginia before the driver then stole an ambulance and led police on a pursuit into Washington D.C., police said. The driver was later arrested and identified as Darell T. Caldwell, 30, of Brandywine, Maryland, the Virginia State Police (VSP) said in a statement shared with Newsweek on Saturday evening.
Caldwell faces federal and local charges, VSP said, adding that state police charges are still pending. After stealing an Arlington County Fire Department ambulance that was responding to the I-395 crash scene, Caldwell used the emergency vehicle to flee, subsequently leading law enforcement agencies on a wild chase down packed roads, VSP said.
While driving the stolen ambulance, Caldwell slammed into at least 13 vehicles in his effort to evade police, according to the VSP, which is leading the investigation into the highway mayhem. Police said that while at least six people were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of minor injuries sustained in the crashes, none of the injuries were reported to be serious. The highway rampage began Saturday afternoon.
At 3:40 p.m., VSP responded to a two-vehicle crash in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 66. The truck that caused the crash, driven by Caldwell, fled the scene, police said, adding that the truck had been reported stolen out of Falls Church, Virginia.
The driver of the other vehicle was transported to a nearby hospital for injuries sustained in the crash. Moments later, around 3:41 p.m., VSP responded to a multi-vehicle crash in the northbound lanes of I-395 near Exit 10 and the 14th Street Bridge in Arlington County. Police said that crash was caused by the same stolen truck being driven by Caldwell. Five people were transported to a nearby hospital as a result of the I-395 crash. Caldwell fled the scene on foot, VSP said.
Video clips shared on X, formerly Twitter, show the alleged suspect driving a truck and plowing into vehicles on the highway.
The enhanced video, posted by Dave Statter, shows slow-moving traffic as a truck slams into a handful of vehicles before eventually hitting a concrete barrier and stopping. “MUST SEE: This is the start of I-395N rampage. Truck got on at 110N. Hit vehicles before Boundary Channel. Plowed into at least 5 before the bridge. Driver ran off. Will show you the stolen ambulance chase shortly. said Statter, a former WUSA9 reporter.