Man charged with second-degree murder in death of DC Officer Terry Bennett

Driver charged with murder in death of DC officer

Jerrold Coates has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of MPD Officer Terry Bennett, who was struck on I-695 while helping a stranded driver. FOX 5's Bob Barnard reports.

WASHINGTON - A man has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of Officer Terry Bennett, who was struck by a vehicle on I‑695 just two days before Christmas.

What we know:

Jerrold Coates was arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department and charged with second-degree murder while armed. 

MPD says Coates was driving erratically and attempting to change lanes when he hit Bennett. Coates' car came to a stop after hitting the rear of Bennett's vehicle. 

Coates was then located unconscious out of his car. DC Fire and EMS administered naloxone and took Coates to a hospital. A full toxicology report has not come back yet, per MPD. 

MPD says Coates uses a wheelchair and that there were hand controls inside the vehicle. 

The backstory:

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.

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

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."