Police ID pedestrian killed, as driver speeds through SE D.C.

WASHINGTON – A pedestrian was killed and four people are in the hospital after a man in a van sped through two miles of road in the area around Benning Road and East Capitol Street SE on Friday night.

Metropolitan Police have identified the pedestrian as 24-year-old Shamika Latrice Smith, of Southeast, D.C., and the driver as 52-year-old Woodrow Johnson. Johnson has been charged with second degree murder in connection to Smith’s death.

Eyewitnesses say the pedestrian was dragged about 150 feet, ABC7 reports. Six cars have been damaged.

“For some reason he just rammed my car, and he rammed it again, and then he rammed the next car, and the next car,” one witness told ABC7.

Police say the driver was traveling northbound on Benning Road when he hit a vehicle near the 4900 block of Benning Road but didn’t stop and hit another vehicle. Moving at a high speed, the driver crossed the southbound lane and hit a pedestrian.

The van, which police told ABC7 was not stolen, eventually rammed a parked van, shearing off one of the tires.

Police arrested Johnson at the scene.

See ABC7’s report:

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