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March 21, 2000
MPD Sergeant Charged With Negligent Homicide

At approximately 12:49 on the morning of Sunday, March 12, 2000, off-duty Metropolitan Police Sergeant Teresa Butts was operating her 1998 Dodge Neon southbound in the 1400 block of New Jersey Avenue, NW. It was at this time that a pedestrian, who was apparently jaywalking, entered the roadway and was struck by her vehicle.

The pedestrian, identified as 56-year-old Lionel Tyrone Tucker, of no fixed address, was taken to Howard University Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 1:38 a.m.

Members of the Metropolitan Police Department's Major Crash Investigations Unit determined that alcohol was a contributing factor. At that time, 38-year-old Sgt. Butts' police powers were revoked and she was placed on administrative leave with pay. She is a 13-year-veteran assigned to the department's training division.

Today Sgt. Butts was served with a D.C. Superior Court arrest warrant charging her with negligent homicide. She turned herself in at police headquarters at 8:30 this morning.

Butts will be arraigned today in D.C. Superior Court. She will remain on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of the judicial proceedings.