ELLICOTT CITY, Md., April 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Joshua VanderZiel was only 21 years-old in August, 2024, when on-duty Anne Arundel County Police Officer Alexander Rodriguez drove the gifted U.S. Navy Russian-language specialist to his death. Officer Rodriguez chased Joshua down for more than four miles in his black AACPD cruiser, before sending Josh’s motorcycle slamming into a flatbed truck. Rodriguez, who never radioed his dispatcher or a supervisor during the pursuit, fled the crash scene and returned to patrol “as if nothing had ever happened.” He was sentenced today by a Howard County Circuit Court Judge and will serve no more than 120 days in prison as part of a plea agreement. While the criminal case is now closed, for Joshua’s family, sentencing marks the start of a new legal journey aimed at obtaining the full measure of #JusticeforJoshua. They have turned to the law firm Grant & Eisenhofer, to hold accountable all those responsible for what they believe was their son’s preventable death.
(left: Joshua VanderZiel, Graduation, Defense Language Institute, Monterey, CA: Family Photos)
“Nicole and Andrew VanderZiel, Josh’s parents, and his entire family, recognize that as a result of the negotiated plea agreement with the Maryland Attorney General, there will be no criminal trial, no testimony – including that from eyewitnesses – and that means no definitive answers to the countless questions about the circumstances leading to Josh’s death on August 10, 2024. These unanswered questions about Josh’s final moments will forever haunt them day and night,” said G&E police misconduct attorneys Steven J. Kelly and Elizabeth Bailey, following sentencing. “As we have done in similar cases, now that the prosecution has concluded, we will work swiftly on behalf of the VanderZiel Family to get answers to those deeply disturbing questions as part of holding fully accountable all those directly and/or indirectly responsible for this unspeakable tragedy. In the end, they hope our fact-finding will help ensure that no other innocent lives are lost as a result of this kind of abuse of police authority.”
Through their legal team, Josh’s parents, who attended the sentencing, said in a statement afterward, “We are still in shock that anyone would have chosen to harm our son. He brought light and joy into the lives of everyone he met, not just family, friends, and fellow sailors, but complete strangers. He was that way ever since he was a child growing up in Kansas, and he enlisted in the Navy knowing his extraordinary language skills could help make the world a better and safer place. He was thrilled when he completed his studies at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, and when he received his posting to Fort Meade’s elite Cryptologic Warfare Activity Group in 2023. The sky was the limit for Josh.”
In announcing the Rodriguez indictment, Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown said, “I am absolutely appalled that an officer would endanger a person’s life and then flee the scene of a fatal crash without offering aid or reporting the incident.“ He added, “This disregard for human life and misconduct from a member of law enforcement is a betrayal of public trust that undermines the safety of communities that police are sworn to protect.”
Coverage Note: Joshua VanderZiel’s parents will not be conducting media interviews at this time; their legal team can be reached as noted below.
Contacts:
Steven J. Kelly – [email protected] / 410 -204-4528
Elizabeth Bailey – [email protected] / 302-622-7195
Steph Rosenfeld – [email protected] / 215-514-4101
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/43fe4528-46cc-4e1b-bebc-2f05f09e4b21
