Man killed by VP's Secret Service vehicles
By: Scott McCabe
Examiner Staff Writer
November 12, 2009
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| (TIM SLOAN/AFP/Getty Images) |
Two U.S. Secret Service armored vehicles used to protect Vice President Biden struck and killed a pedestrian in Temple Hills early Wednesday morning, authorities said.
The vehicles were traveling together from Andrews Air Force Base at about 2:30 a.m. when the pedestrian was hit at the intersection of Suitland Parkway and Naylor Road in Temple Hills, U.S. Park Police said.
The drivers stayed on the scene and rendered first aid until police and rescue officials arrived, said Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan.
The pedestrian, an adult male, was transported to Prince George's Hospital Center in Cheverly with multiple critical injuries, police said. He was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.
The armored sport utility vehicle and limousine were occupied only by Secret Service employees and were not carrying the vice president or any other dignitaries, said Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan.
The vehicles, part of a fleet used to protect the vice president, were used to whisk Biden during his trip to Fort Lewis, Wash., and were heading back to a garage at the time of the incident. The armored cars were transported to and from Fort Lewis on military planes. The vice president was there to speak at a memorial service Tuesday for seven soldiers who were killed Oct. 27 in Afghanistan when their vehicle exploded after being struck by an improvised explosive device.
Biden returned to Andrews much earlier and was already at his residence at the U.S. Naval Observatory in Northwest Washington at the time of the incident, Donovan said.
Police have not released the pedestrian's identity pending notification of family. Park Police were still investigating the incident and had not determined a cause.
