Officers In Fatal Chase Suspended With Pay, Names Not Released

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — Police released more details about the chase that ended with the death of a mother and her son last week. The Prince George's County Police Department said the five officers who were suspended will all be paid while the investigation continues. Officers are only suspended without pay if they are accused of a felony.

Police continue to withhold the names of the officers. This follows typical police policy. The department only releases the names of officers who are accused of a crime or involved in a shooting.

A Tuesday update said that the involved officers have been with the department for 15, 13, 12, eight and seven years. Police said they could not tell Patch whether any of the officers had been suspended before because of protections under personnel law.

The mother and driver, Lynda Ann Jones, was 62; her son, Richard Sylvester Jones, was 42. Both were from Capitol Heights.

The chase started around 4:45 p.m. at a gas station on the 7500 block of Old Branch Avenue. Prince George's County police arrived after the cashier complained about customers "acting in an unusual manner" at the gas pump.

"They were disruptive to the point the clerk became concerned and called 911," the update said.

Investigators will look into whether there was reason to believe the Joneses were involved in a crime, police added.

A press release says one officer spoke briefly with the Joneses before the mother drove away. The recent update said the topic of this conversation is part of the ongoing investigation.

A 6.7-mile chase through Clinton ensued. The chase ended when the Joneses' SUV "crashed into at least two utility poles on Old Branch Avenue near Tarquin Avenue," the report says.

The SUV was a maroon 2020 Toyota RAV4, according to the new release. Police do not know the top speed of the chase, the report added. They hope further investigation will reveal how fast the cars traveled down Old Branch Avenue.

According to the new details, four police cars chased the Joneses. No officers were hurt, nor were any police cars damaged.

Police are investigating both the crash and the officers involved. They ask anybody with information to call (301) 516-5721.

Patch is following this story closely. We are submitting a public information act request in hopes of obtaining the police reports detailing the chase.

Related:

• Crash Kills Mother, Son In Police Chase; 5 Officers Suspended

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