D.C. Driver Donnie Bean Plows Through Pedestrians, Rams Police

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Donnie Bean, 48, of Washington, D.C., admitted guilt today to a string of reckless and violent acts that left a trail of injured pedestrians and a damaged police cruiser. Bean pled guilty under the Alford doctrine to three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of felony assault on a police officer, stemming from a 90-minute rampage on May 7, 2016.

The Alford plea, which doesn’t require an admission of guilt but acknowledges the strength of the government’s evidence, carries an agreed-upon sentence of five to seven years in prison. Judge Danya A. Dayson has scheduled sentencing for July 28, 2017. According to prosecutors, Bean was operating a black Honda Civic while intoxicated by both alcohol and cannabinoids, and also battling unmedicated mental health issues.

The chaos began around 6:00 p.m. at the intersection of Seventh Street and Florida Avenue NW. Bean blew through a red light, striking a bicyclist before continuing on to hit and knock down a 9-year-old girl crossing the street with her family. The child sustained minor injuries requiring hospitalization. Just ten minutes later, near Fifth and H Streets NW, Bean nearly mowed down two pedestrians in a crosswalk. When one of them confronted her, Bean reportedly responded with a menacing “You wanna make it real?” and deliberately drove toward them, forcing them to dive for cover behind a traffic signal.

The escalating violence continued at Fifth Street and Massachusetts Avenue NW, where Bean rear-ended a vehicle. When the driver attempted to reason with her, Bean put the car in reverse and accelerated, slamming into him and sending him tumbling over the hood and into the street. Paramedics treated the man at the scene before transporting him to a hospital with minor injuries. Bean didn’t stop there. She continued to flee, drawing the attention of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

Officers in the 1200 block of V Street NW attempted to pull Bean over, but she refused to comply. She rammed her Civic into a marked police car, then continued to bash into the side of the vehicle repeatedly as the officer tried to stop her. It took multiple officers to finally subdue Bean and place her in handcuffs. The incident left the police car significantly damaged.

U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips praised the MPD’s investigation and highlighted the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Smalky, C.B. Buente, and Vanessa Goodwin, along with Victim/Witness Advocates Jennifer Clark and Diana Lim, in securing the plea. The case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by impaired and reckless drivers, and the potential for devastating consequences.