DC police officer charged with murder in connection with pursuit of moped driver who fatally crashed

A Washington, D.C., police officer has been charged with murder in connection with the pursuit last year of a man illegally riding a moped that led to the driver being fatally struck by another motorist. 

Metropolitan Police Department Officer Terence Sutton was charged Friday with second-degree murder in the October 2020 death of Karon Hylton-Brown. Sutton also faces federal charges of conspiracy and obstruction of justice.

A second officer, Lt. Andrew Zabavsky, faces federal conspiracy and obstruction of justice charges in connection with the incident, the Justice Department said.

Attorneys for each of the officers entered a not guilty plea on behalf of their respective clients. 

Police turned on their emergency lights and attempted to stop Hylton-Brown on the evening of Oct. 23, 2020.

In an unmarked car with three other officers, Sutton directly pursued Hylton-Brown for roughly three minutes, at times twice the post speed limit in the residential area. 

Zabavsky had been pursuing Hylton-Brown in a marked vehicle but was not behind him when the accident occurred.

Hylton-Brown was fatally struck by a motorist coming out of alley alley into a street. 

The indictment alleges that Sutton and Zabavsky also attempted to "hide from MPD officials the circumstances of the traffic collision leading to Hylton-Brown's death, to prevent an internal investigation of the incident and referral of the matter to federal authorities for a criminal civil rights investigation," according to CNN.

Sutton had been with the MPD for over 10 years. Zabavsky had been on the force 18 years and was a supervisor.