At approximately 11:20 p.m. on Tuesday, August 7, 2001, the driver of a 1998 Lincoln Continental, was apparently traveling at a high rate of speed in the westbound lane of the 2600 block of Suitland Parkway, SE. It was at this time that the driver lost control of the car and it spun around crossing the grassy median entering into the eastbound lane. A Toyota 4 Runner traveling eastbound then struck the Lincoln Continental.

The passenger of the Lincoln, identified as 22-year-old Michael D. Lambert of the 7500 block of Eastern Avenue, N.W., was taken to the Washington Hospital Center's MedStar Unit and pronounced dead at 12:05 a.m. The driver of the Lincoln, identified as 23-year-old Shauna Odom of the 4900 block of 12th Street, NE, was taken to the Howard University Hospital and admitted with non-life threatening injuries. The driver of the Toyota, identified as 36-year-old Wayne Sullivan an officer assigned to the First District and off-duty while operating his privately owned vehicle, was also taken to the Howard University Hospital and admitted with non-life threatening injuries.

No charges have been placed at this time and the case is currently under investigation by members of the department's Major Crash Unit.