An Anne Arundel County police officer has been indicted on multiple charges following a fatal crash in Howard County that occurred during an unauthorized high-speed pursuit. The incident, which took place in August 2024, led to the death of a 21-year-old motorcyclist and has resulted in felony and misdemeanor charges against the officer involved.
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The Maryland Attorney General’s Office announced that a Howard County grand jury indicted Officer Alexander Rodriguez, 30, on April 2, 2025. Rodriguez faces charges including gross negligence vehicular manslaughter, criminal negligence vehicular manslaughter, failure to remain at the scene of a fatal accident, and five counts of misconduct in office. Employed by the Anne Arundel County Police Department since March 2023, Rodriguez is accused of pursuing the victim, Joshua VanderZiel of Laurel, at excessive speeds without activating emergency equipment or notifying dispatch.
According to the investigation conducted by the Independent Investigations Division (IID), Rodriguez engaged in a pursuit of VanderZiel that began in Anne Arundel County and continued through Prince George’s County into Howard County. At approximately 4:11 a.m. on August 10, VanderZiel’s motorcycle collided with a flatbed truck on Washington Boulevard. Witnesses reported the motorcycle was traveling at a high speed when it struck the truck as it turned onto the roadway. VanderZiel died at the scene.
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The investigation further determined that Rodriguez did not notify anyone of the pursuit or the crash and failed to remain at the scene or provide aid. Instead, he left the scene and continued his shift without filing a report. The IID officially took over the investigation on August 20 after confirming the incident involved a police officer. Under Maryland law, the IID has the authority to investigate and prosecute police-involved deaths and misconduct when sufficient evidence is found.
A criminal indictment is not a finding of guilt. Officer Rodriguez remains presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Article by multiple RFHC contributors, based upon information from the Office of the Maryland Attorney General
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