Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced that Alexander Rodriguez, a former officer with the Anne Arundel County Police Department (AACOPD), pleaded guilty to one felony count of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death and failing to remain at the scene. Rodriguez entered his guilty plea in the Circuit Court for Howard County before the Honorable Maurice Frazier today, Thursday, April 9, 2026.
Per the plea agreement, Rodriguez pleaded guilty in exchange for a sentence of 5 years’ incarceration, with all but 120 days suspended, and 2 years of supervised probation to include 100 hours of community service and an agreement not to seek a career in law enforcement.
“No one who endangers lives and then abandons a crash that resulted in a man’s death on the side of the road should be allowed to wear a police uniform. By accepting this plea agreement, Rodriguez will never again serve as a law enforcement officer in Maryland,” said Attorney General Brown. “We cannot keep our communities safe if we do not hold people accountable when they break the law. The outcome that our Office secured makes clear that no one is above the law, regardless of their career.”
Case background:
On August 10, 2024, at approximately 4:00 a.m., Rodriguez, an AACOPD officer at the time, was on patrol and driving his marked patrol cruiser. Officer Rodriguez followed a motorcycle, driven by Joshua Vanderziel, into a gas station in Anne Arundel County. Officer Rodriguez attempted to use his cruiser to block the motorcycle at the gas pump. Mr. Vanderziel drove around Officer Rodriguez’s police cruiser and exited the gas station.
Officer Rodriguez initiated an unauthorized pursuit, ultimately chasing Mr. Vanderziel through three jurisdictions: Anne Arundel County, Prince George’s County, and, finally, Howard County.
The unauthorized pursuit by Officer Rodriguez lasted for approximately 4.3 miles, with both vehicles reaching speeds in excess of 90 miles per hour. Officer Rodriguez did not activate his emergency lights or sirens on his patrol vehicle, did not activate his body-worn camera, and did not notify dispatch or his supervisor in Anne Arundel County to get permission for the pursuit. Officer Rodriguez did not notify law enforcement that he had entered Laurel or Howard County during the pursuit.
After Officer Rodriguez pursued Mr. Vanderziel into Howard County, Mr. Vanderziel crashed into a commercial flatbed truck that was turning left on Washington Boulevard. Mr. Vanderziel was thrown from his motorcycle and into the street.
Following this crash, Officer Rodriguez slammed on his brakes, made a U-turn on Washington Boulevard, and returned to Anne Arundel County, heading in the opposite direction of the crash. Contrary to his training and duties with AACOPD, Officer Rodriguez did not stop at the scene, did not exit his patrol cruiser at the crash site, did not provide aid, and did not return to secure the crash scene.
Howard County Emergency arrived on scene and pronounced Mr. Vanderziel deceased. Officer Rodriguez returned to his patrol duties without notifying supervisors of the accident.
Alexander Rodriguez will be sentenced on April 20, 2026, in the Circuit Court for Howard County.
In making today’s announcement, Attorney General Brown thanked the Independent Investigations Division, Howard County Police Department, Maryland State Police, Anne Arundel County Police Department, and Laurel Police Department for their assistance and cooperation with the investigation of this matter.
