Officer and Witness Fail to Identify Reckless Driver

By D.C. Witness Staff - October 17, 2018
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects |

During a 2017 murder trial, an eyewitness and a police officer said they couldn’t identify the driver of a car that fatally struck a woman in the U Street Corridor.  

David Jones is charged with second-degree murder, driving under the influence and leaving after colliding for killing 65-year-old Carolyn Ellis on the corner of 10th and U Streets, NW on Feb. 6, 2017.

According to court documents, Ellis and another pedestrian were crossing the street when a black car sped around the corner and struck her. A witness said Ellis’ body was thrown 8-to-10 feet in the air before hitting a parked car and landing on the street. Officers later located Jones, 38, visibly intoxicated, stumbling on 14th Street, NW.

The person who was with Ellis said he saw a black car with four doors hit the decedent, but he did not see who was driving.

An officer, who was patrolling the area at the time, said that a black car sped past him and crossed the yellow line separating oncoming traffic. However, the officer said he couldn’t identify the driver.

“I saw a black male or female with a light complexion and a dread-like hairstyle,” the officer told the jury. The officer added that he couldn’t confirm that Jones was the individual driving the car.