The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announces the arrest of the driver who was operating the vehicle that struck Officer Terry Bennett while assisting a motorist on I-695.
On Tuesday, December 23, 2025, at approximately 10:10 p.m., Officer Bennett was assisting a motorist who ran out of gas in the eastbound lanes of I-695 near South Capitol Street. Officer Bennett was struck by a secondary motorist at a high rate of speed. Fellow officers immediately began rendering care and Bennett was transported to a local hospital. Officer Bennett succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday, January 7, 2026.
The crash was investigated by detectives from MPD’s Major Crash Investigations Unit. The investigation determined that at approximately 9:49 p.m., Officer Bennett responded to the report of two-vehicle crash on eastbound I-695 just before Exit 1B for 6th Street, Southeast. A Honda Ridgeline ran out of gas and broke down in a travel lane. While stopped in the roadway, another vehicle, a Ford Focus, rear-ended the Honda, causing minor damage. Officer Bennett parked his police cruiser behind both vehicles with emergency lights activated and assisted the drivers involved in the minor crash. After an exchange of information, the Ford Focus was able to drive away from the scene. Officer Bennett remained on the scene, waiting for a tow truck to arrive to remove the Honda Ridgeline from the roadway.
At approximately 10:10 p.m., a Volvo XC90, traveling at a high rate of speed and changing lanes through slow traffic, struck Officer Bennett, who was standing outside of his police cruiser. The Volvo also struck the police cruiser, which pushed the cruiser into the Honda Ridgeline. Officers located the driver of the Volvo, an adult male, unconscious but breathing, immediately outside of his vehicle. DC Fire and EMS responded to the scene and rendered aid to the driver, and he regained consciousness following the administration of a dosage of Narcan (Naloxone). The driver of the Volvo was transported to an area hospital, and was later released pending further investigation. The driver of the Honda Ridgeline was not injured.
On Friday, January 9, 2026, pursuant to a DC Superior Court arrest warrant, members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested 47-year-old Jerrold Lonnell Coates of Northwest, DC. Coates is charged with Second Degree Murder While Armed (Vehicle).
“I want to thank the members of our Major Crash Investigations Unit for their professionalism throughout this investigation,” said Interim Chief of Police Jeffery W. Carroll. “These cases are extremely difficult, and they’re even more difficult when the victim is a fellow officer. I ask that you continue to keep Officer Bennett’s loved ones, and the members of our department in your thoughts and prayers in the days ahead.”
Officer Bennett’s dedication to MPD and the District of Columbia will forever be remembered and honored. Officer Bennett’s death is the 127th Line of Duty Death in the 164-year history of MPD.