Chief: Officer Killed in Crash Had Consumed Alcohol

>>Want more news? Get the daily Bowie email newsletter.

An off-duty Prince George’s County Police officer pursuing a speeding car before he died in a crash had consumed enough alcohol to be considered impaired, according to the police chief.

The department says Brennan Rabain, 26, was driving his girlfriend home early on March 9 until he decided to make a traffic stop. His police cruiser crashed into a wooden fence in the 9500 block of Greenbelt Road in Lanham.

WTOP reports the accident happened about 3:30 a.m. when Rabain’s car crashed. While authorities still don’t know what caused the wreck, on Friday Police Chief Dennis Magaw shared new details from the investigation.

At one point during the pursuit, Rabain’s cruiser reached a speed of 106 miles per hour, authorities said. When he lost control on Greenbelt Road, Rabain was going 64 miles an hour and at the time of impact, the cruiser was travelling 50 miles per hour.

A toxicology report showed Rabain’s blood alcohol concentration was .07. Under Maryland law, that level of alcohol could lead to a charge of driving while impaired, police said.

But, based on traffic camera video, Rabain’s interaction with another police agency moments before the crash, witness testimony, and evidence at the crash scene, there is no indication that alcohol is the primary cause of this crash, Magaw said.

Rabain changed the channel on his in-car police radio at 3:19 a.m., authorities believe to contact the local police district in which he was driving. But that call never happened. The first 911 call reporting the accident came in at 3:21 a.m.

“I do not condone POFC Rabain’s decision to drive after consuming any amount of alcohol. While we will never know precisely what role alcohol played in this crash, the outcome is tragic. The excessive speed cannot be ignored either. But we do know that in the final moments of his life, this young officer was committed to protecting the people of Prince George’s County,” Magaw said Friday.

Rabain’s girlfriend told investigators he was trying to slow or stop the speeding car when his patrol car went out of control, Magaw says. The department allows off-duty officers to drive civilians in the cruisers assigned to them.

Area red-light cameras captured footage of a dark-colored minivan and a white bus on the road at the same time as Rabain, and police want to talk to the drivers of those vehicles.

SEE ALSO: Woman Passenger in Patrol Car During Fatal Crash: Police

PG Police Officer Dies in Overnight Car Crash

Police say Rabain’s girlfriend suffered minor injuries in the crash.

Detectives are trying to learn more about the fleeing vehicle.

“He was a young officer. Loved this department, loved this county,” Magaw said. “He was a fine officer.”

Rabain had been on the force for less than two years and leaves behind a 3-year-old daughter, Samiyah, the department says.

A memorial fund for Rabain’s family has been set up online on GoFundMe.com. As of March 27, $15,800 had been donated.

Anyone with information about this fatal crash is asked to call the Prince George’s County Police Department at (301) 731-4422. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477) or text “PGPD plus your message” to CRIMES (274637) on your cell phone or go tohttp://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/police and submit a tip online.

SEE ALSO:

• Departments Turn Out to Honor Fallen Police Officer
• Girlfriend of Officer Killed Says He Tried to Stop Speeder
• Prince George’s County Police Seek Information Regarding Fatal Collision