The Metropolitan Police Department's Major Crash Investigations Unit is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding an early morning traffic fatality.

On Tuesday, November 14, 2000, at approximately 5:30 a.m., an adult male was operating a Plymouth sedan northbound on 14th Street, N.W. As the operator approached the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. it appears at this time that the operator may have have failed to follow the detour path of safety devices set in order to route traffic around a large construction ditch. Consequently the man drove the vehicle into the ditch striking the northside of it.

According to preliminary reports it appears that the driver exited his vehicle and began to make phone calls regarding the accident. It appears that sometime afterwards the man began to feel ill and requested medical assistance. Officers on the scene from the First District assisted the man and he was transported to George Washington University Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The name of the victim is being withheld at this time pending the proper notification of his next-of-kin. The circumstances surrounding this accident and the primary cause of this collision remains under active investigation by members assigned to the department's Major Crash Investigations Unit.

There is no further information available at this time.

Update:

The decedent has been identified as 60-year-old Sinic Stanton, Jr. of Alexandria, Virginia.