At approximately 9:00 pm on the evening of Monday, October 22, 2007, members of the United States Marshal Service’s Capital Area Regional Task Force arrested a suspect in connection with the October 21, 2007 hit-and-run traffic accident that claimed the life of two-year-old Brandi Smith and critically injured her mother and two other occupants of an automobile the suspect allegedly struck.  Acting on a series of leads, members of the task force, which consists of members of the US Marshals Service and the Metropolitan Police Department, arrested the suspect, without incident, in the 2500 block of Iverson Street in Temple Hills, Maryland.  The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Christopher Henry Edwards, of the 100 block of Irvington Street, SW, has been charged with Involuntary Manslaughter. Mr. Edwards is scheduled to be arraigned today in DC Superior Court.

The accident occurred at approximately 3:10 am on Sunday, October 21, 2007. Reportedly, a green 2000 Chevrolet, Monte Carlo was traveling at a high rate of speed northbound on Sherman Avenue, NW.  At the intersection of Sherman Avenue and Columbia Road, NW, the Chevrolet collided with a red 2000 Plymouth Neon traveling westbound on Columbia Road, NW. As a result of the impact, the Plymouth Neon slid across the intersection, mounted the center concrete median, and struck a light pole. The Plymouth then overturned, trapping the four occupants inside. 

The Chevrolet rotated counterclockwise and came to rest on top of the center concrete median.  Subsequently, the driver of the Chevrolet exited the vehicle and fled the scene on foot. 

The DC Fire Department responded to the scene and extricated the victims who were trapped in the Plymouth. Two-year-old Brandi smith, of the 6700 block of Piney Branch Road, NW, who was riding in the rear passenger seat, secured in a child car seat next to her mother, was transported to Children’s Hospital where she succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead at 3:45 am.

The other three occupants of the Plymouth Neon, a 20-year-old female, a 22-year-old female and a 23-year-old female, were transported to area hospitals and admitted in critical condition.