Procession held for DC officer struck, killed on I‑695 while helping stranded driver

Procession held for DC officer hit, killed while helping stranded driver on I‑695

D.C. police are mourning the death of Officer Terry Bennett, who was struck by a vehicle on I‑695 just two days before Christmas. Bennett, who was assigned to the First District, died Wednesday after spending two weeks in the hospital. The department held a procession in his honor on Thursday afternoon. FOX 5's Bob Barnard reports. 

WASHINGTON - D.C. police are mourning the death of Officer Terry Bennett, who was struck by a vehicle on I‑695 just two days before Christmas.

Bennett, who was assigned to the First District, died Wednesday after spending two weeks in the hospital. The department held a procession in his honor on Thursday afternoon.

Police say the crash happened just after 10 p.m. on Dec. 23, when Bennett stopped along the southbound lanes of I‑695 near South Capitol Street to help a driver who had run out of gas. While assisting the motorist, he was hit by another vehicle believed to be traveling at a high rate of speed.

FOX 5’s Bob Barnard reports that law enforcement officials say the driver who struck Bennett was physically disabled but legally permitted to drive. Officials are also examining whether the driver’s possible impairment contributed to the crash, Barnard says.

READ MORE: MPD officer left in critical condition after being hit on I-695 has died, police say

MPD Officer Terry Bennett (Metropolitan Police Department)

Bennett was transported to a local hospital where, for two weeks, colleagues, friends and family hoped for a different outcome.

Bennett was a D.C. native, a graduate of Ballou High School and Bucknell University, and continued to coach and mentor students at Ballou. He joined the Metropolitan Police Department in 2018 and spent his eight‑year career in the First District.

"The men and women of the Metropolitan Police Department stand shoulder to shoulder with Officer Bennett's family and friends as they process this unimaginable loss," said Interim Chief of Police Jeffery Carroll in a statement. "Officer Bennett was a model officer, a born and raised Washingtonian who wanted to make a positive impact on his community, dedicating himself to bettering the lives of young people. This loss is devastating for both our department and our city. I ask that all Washingtonians reflect on Officer Bennett's sacrifice and keep his family in their thoughts and prayers."

Funeral arrangements have not yet been made. The crash remains under investigation. Bennett’s death is the 127th line of duty death in the 164-year history of the Metropolitan Police Department.