Officer.com Editor's Note: A medical examiner concluded that Bladensburg Officer Brian Johnson, who originally was believed to have suffered a medical emergency before a crash, actually shot himself, according to WUSA-TV.
An off-duty Bladensburg police officer was killed in a crash on Route 100 in Pasadena on Saturday morning, county police said.
At 9 a.m., Officer Brian Johnson was driving a marked police cruiser eastbound on Route 100 near Catherine Avenue when it crossed the median and struck another car traveling in the opposite direction.
Anne Arundel County police and firefighters responded to the scene and transported Johnson to Baltimore Washington Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead. The driver of the other vehicle was treated and released at the scene.
Police are trying to determine the cause of the crash, but a preliminary investigation indicated that Johnson may have suffered a medical emergency.
Johnson was a nine-year veteran of the Bladensburg Police Department and also a member of the Bladensburg Volunteer Fire Department. Fire department officials wrote a tribute to Johnson on their Web page, calling his death "the passing of a great friend."
"We shall forever remember the great times and the many things that you have taught so many of our firefighters over the years," the website reads. "May God shed his light on you as a shining star. Watching over all of us is a huge challenge, but one we know you'll fill with tremendous confidence. Till we meet again ..."
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