At approximately 10:30 last night, Monday, July 23, 2007, a 2007 Suzuki motorcycle, being operated by 17-year-old Cortez Durrell Lilly of the 5300 block of Clay Terrace, N.E., was reportedly traveling at a high rate of speed westbound on East Capitol Street, NE. While at the intersection of East Capitol and 55th Streets, NE, the motorcycle struck the right rear of a 1987 Chevrolet pickup truck that was traveling eastbound on East Capitol Street and turning left to go northbound on 55th Street, NE. The driver of the pickup truck abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene on foot. Mr. Lilly was taken to the Washington Hospital Center’s MedStar Unit and pronounced dead at 12:57 am.
At approximately 5:30 this morning, Tuesday, July 24, 2007, police were called to the 800 block of Delafield Place, NW, for the report of a stolen auto. During the investigation officers determined that 40-year-old James Brown, of the Delafield address, was the alleged operator of the pickup truck involved in the accident at East Capitol and 55th Streets, NE. He was charged with Leaving After Colliding.
The case is under investigation by members of the department’s Major Crash Investigations Unit. The ongoing investigation indicates that the Suzuki motorcycle had been stolen on Sunday, July 22, 2007, during an armed carjacking in the 2400 block of Rhode Island Avenue, N.E. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call police at (202) 727-9099.