Authorities said Brown, a Southeast Washington resident, was arrested by police officers as he attempted to flee the scene of the accident outside the DCUS prosecutor’s office in the 600 block of D Street NW, near Indiana Avenue.
The woman who died was identified as Leslie Marie Gaines, 55, of Northeast. Police said they are waiting for autopsy results to determine Gaines’ cause of death.
Police and hospital officials said the vehicle theft happened around 1:10 p.m. outside the emergency department at MedStar Washington Hospital Center on Irving Street NW near McMillan Reservoir.
Police said in a statement that Brown was walking away from her family outside the emergency center when Gaines’ daughter pulled up in front of the building in a Mazda SUV. Police said Gaines’ daughter left the car to get a wheelchair for her mother, who was sitting in the passenger seat.
Police allege Brown then got into the driver’s seat of the SUV and drove off toward downtown with Gaines. About 20 minutes later, the driver of the Mazda was heading north on the 400 block of NW 6th Avenue when he lost control and struck a barrier while attempting to turn left onto D Street, according to police. A police spokesman said officers are not pursuing the vehicle.
Reached by phone Tuesday, Gaines’ daughter said she would not talk about what happened.
Auto thefts and carjackings in the city are beginning to decline after a significant increase in 2023, when auto thefts increased 82 percent compared to 2022 and carjackings nearly doubled.
So far this year, auto thefts in the District are down 30 percent compared to 2023, and carjackings citywide are down 33 percent compared to the same time last year, according to D.C. Police data.
