On Saturday, August 25, 2007, at approximately 8:05 p.m., a 2004 Toyota four-runner SUV being operated by 42-year-old Silvia Elvin Orellana, of the 6900 block of Eilerson Street, in Clinton, Maryland, was traveling southbound on 9th Street, N.W. Upon approaching the intersection at 9th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW, the Toyota reportedly ran the red light and collided with a 1996 Lincoln Town car taxi cab being operated by 69-year-old Zelleke Bellete, of the 900 block of Malcolm Drive, in Silver Spring, Maryland, which had been traveling westbound on Constitution Avenue, NW. At the time of the collision, the taxi cab had two passengers occupying the rear passenger seat. One of those passengers, who has been identified as 48-year-old Brian Ross Russell, of the 2200 block of Clarendon Boulevard, in Arlington, Virginia, was taken to the George Washington University Hospital and pronounced dead at 9:27 pm.
The other passenger, identified as the decedent’s wife, 36-year-old Nicole Cushing also of the Arlington address, was taken to an area hospital and admitted in critical but stable condition as well as the operator of the Toyota. The taxi cab driver was taken to an area hospital and admitted in stable condition.
The case is under investigation by members of the Department’s Major Crash Investigations Unit.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call police at (202) 727-9099.