A Washington DC police officer was suspended after leading Virginia cops on a high speed chase that ended when his Tesla crashed into another car, injuring his own passenger and the other driver, officials said.
Peter McCauley, 25, was booked last Wednesday night after Virginia State Police caught him driving at 95 mph in a 55 mph zone on I-395 in northern Virginia, 7NewsDC reports.
Although a state trooper attempted to stop the car, McCauley allegedly sped up to lose the officer, exceeding speeds of 119 mph as he weaved onto Seminary Road, according to court documents.
It was then that McCauley ran a red light, with his Tesla getting in the way of a passing Honda, which slammed into the electric car.
The impact sent McCauley’s car careening out of control until it came to a stop, leaving his female passenger injured.
The crash also caused the Honda to slam into a nearby concrete barrier on the road, injuring the female driver, police said.
Both women were transported to a nearby hospital and treated for minor injuries. McCauley was arrested and charged with one felony count of eluding police.
The Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department said they were notified of McCauley’s arrest on Thanksgiving Day.
“MPD’s Internal Affairs Division responded and immediately revoked the officer’s police powers and placed him on non-contact status,” the department said in a statement. “The incident is under investigation by MPD’s Internal Affairs Division.”
McCauley, a member of the force since June 2020, is the second off-duty MPD officer arrested this month for careless driving.
On Nov. 11, Officer John Bewley was arrested for DUI, resisting arrest and obstructing justice after showing up in his police cruiser to allegedly interfere with another DUI investigation against his girlfriend, according to court documents.
MPD said Bewley was also placed on “non-contact status,” with the case still under investigation.
Representatives for McCauley and Bewley could not be immediately reached for comment.