WALDORF, Md. — An investigative report by the Maryland Attorney General's Office found no wrongdoing on the part of three Charles County Sheriff's deputies who were involved in a deadly car pursuit earlier this year.
On March 11, just after 4am deputies were called to the 3900 block of Pine Cone Circle in Waldorf for a hit and run.
Arriving deputies met with the wife of Darell Byrd, 50, who stated her husband had hit a parked car and run away.
About 40 minutes later as deputies were still on scene investigating, Byrd's wife saw him driving another car in the area of St. Marks Drive.
That's when police began to follow.
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Initially Byrd pulled over, but he quickly fled again.
Only about a minute after the pursuit began, Byrd lost control and struck a tree. He died on scene.
Analysis by the Maryland State Police found that Byrd had been traveling between 82 and 96 mph in a 45 mph zone, five seconds before the crash.
Toxicology testing showed Byrd’s blood alcohol concentration to be 0.27 percent. Cocaine was also found in his system, at a concentration of less than 0.05 mg/L.
Byrd's wife later told investigators they had gone to a funeral earlier in the day, and that her husband drank for hours afterwards.
The involved deputies have been identified as Kenneth Barry, Shawn Griffith, and Shayne Cannon.
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During the chase, Barry reportedly reached speeds of 78 mph, while Griffith and Cannon got up to 64 and 68 mph respectively.
The Attorney General's Office concluded that each of them complied with the Sheriff's vehicle pursuit policy.
To read the full report, click here.
