The Silver Spring Penguin

MoCo police say they’d rather let speeding cars fly than get tangled in a dangerous wreck like Wednesday’s Beltway pile-up.

Two men were killed on the Beltway when a PG County police cruiser triggered a series of collisions. The cop car may have been pursuing a speeding motorcyclist, the Washington Post reported.

“We have a pretty restrictive pursuit policy,” third district Lt Stephen Auger told the neighborhoods committee last week.

Under the county’s policy, cops will give high-speed chase only if a car’s occupants are suspected of a felony, driving while intoxicated, or if the car injured someone in a hit-and-run collision, Auger explained.

“Some people have to be pursued, but is it really worth chasing someone for a stolen car?” Auger said. “If you try to stop them, you might cause an accident.”

Cops won’t throw the hammer down if a driver commits a moving violation and then tears off, Auger said. However, the PD will still snag drivers for moving violations, he added.

“It’s a good policy,” Auger said. “Pursuits are dangerous, they’re just dangerous.”

“Beltway collision video reviewed” (Washington Post)