BALTIMORE, Md – The Independent Investigations Division (IID) of the Office of Attorney General today released its investigative report of the October 21, 2021, fatal police pursuit crash in Wicomico County.
On October 21, 2021, at approximately 10 p.m., Salisbury Police Department Officer Christopher Denny witnessed a car at the intersection of Delaware Avenue and West Salisbury Parkway in Salisbury that was being driven without its lights on.
Officer Denny attempted to pull over the car. The driver of the car, Jamaal Mitchell, failed to stop and instead increased his speed, and swerving as he continued driving. Officer Denny chased the car out of concern that Mitchell was impaired. During the chase, Mitchell struck the police cruiser of Wicomico County Sheriff's Deputy David Munir, who then joined the chase.
Mitchell continued driving and struck a second vehicle. The second collision caused him to lose control of his car. It drove into the yard of a home on Duchess Drive and hit a parked vehicle and a tree. Mitchell was pronounced dead on the scene.
The IID concluded its investigation and forwarded its investigative report to the Wicomico County State’s Attorney’s Office on February 14, 2022. The Wicomico County State’s Attorney’s Office notified the IID on April 21 of its decision not to prosecute this case.
The investigative report contains detailed investigative findings and an analysis of relevant legal issues. The report does not make any recommendations as to whether an officer should or should not be charged. A copy of the investigative report can be found here.