Crime
Sunday Okedeyi Joseph Crashes Vehicle into Children’s Birthday Party Tent in Bladensburg
BLADENSBURG, Md. — Authorities have identified 66-year-old Sunday Okedeyi Joseph, a Washington, D.C. resident, as the driver who crashed a vehicle in reverse into a children’s birthday party in Bladensburg on Saturday night, killing one person and injuring 14 others before fleeing the scene on foot.
According to the Bladensburg Police Department, the tragic incident occurred shortly before 10:15 p.m. when Joseph, while driving in reverse, veered off the roadway and into a tent set up in the front yard of a home where the celebration was taking place.
The collision left several victims trapped beneath the vehicle.
Police said 31-year-old Ashley Hernandez Gutierrez was pronounced dead following the crash.
Fourteen additional victims, including eight children ranging in age from 1 to 17, were injured.
Most of the injured have since been released from the hospital, though one child and two adults remain under medical care as of Monday.
Bladensburg Acting Police Chief Daniel Frishkorn stated that the crash appeared to be accidental and not intentional or targeted.
A police officer on patrol nearby was among the first to arrive on scene after being flagged down by witnesses, and he assisted in lifting the vehicle off trapped victims.
Joseph reportedly fled on foot, abandoning his car at the scene, but turned himself in to authorities at approximately 8 a.m. Sunday morning.
Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident, including whether alcohol or excessive speed were contributing factors.
Chief Frishkorn described the situation as “highly unusual,” noting the rarity of a fatal crash involving a vehicle being driven in reverse.
Joseph now faces multiple charges, including:
- Criminally negligent manslaughter by vehicle
- Negligent manslaughter by automobile
- Failure to remain at the scene of an accident involving death
At a press conference Monday, Bladensburg Mayor Takisha James expressed the community’s collective grief and extended condolences to the victims and their families.
“Please know that the town of Bladensburg is fully committed to ensuring that the individual responsible is held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” Mayor James said. “To the victims who are still recovering, our thoughts and prayers are with you. We wish you strength, comfort, and complete healing — not only from your physical injuries, but also from the emotional pain that accompanies such a traumatic experience.”
The investigation remains ongoing.
Crime
Venezuelan national Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis shot in the leg by an immigration agent in Minneapolis
On January 14, 2025, federal law enforcement personnel were engaged in a targeted enforcement operation involving Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national who has been present in the United States since 2022.
The operation escalated into a high-speed pursuit, a physical confrontation, and an ambush by multiple subjects, necessitating the use of a defensive firearm discharge by a federal agent.
At approximately 6:50 PM, federal officers initiated a targeted traffic stop of a vehicle operated by Sosa-Celis.
The subject refused to comply with law enforcement commands and attempted to flee the scene.
During the pursuit, the subject’s vehicle collided with a stationary, parked car.
Following the collision, the subject abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene on foot.
A federal agent pursued the suspect on foot and successfully intercepted him. As the agent attempted to effect an arrest, the subject became combative, resulting in a violent struggle on the ground.
During this confrontation, two additional male subjects emerged from a nearby residence to intervene.
These individuals reportedly ambushed the agent, utilizing a snow shovel and a broom handle to strike the officer.
The situation escalated when the primary suspect, Sosa-Celis, regained his footing and joined the two additional subjects in the assault.
Reports indicate the suspect struck the agent with a blunt object (identified as either the shovel or broom handle).
Citing an immediate threat to his life while being outnumbered and actively assaulted by three individuals, the agent discharged his service weapon in self-defense.
The discharge struck Sosa-Celis in the lower extremity (leg). Following the shot, all three suspects retreated into a nearby apartment complex and initiated a barricade situation.
Following a brief standoff, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) successfully secured the perimeter and apprehended all three individuals without further injury.
Both the federal agent and Sosa-Celis were transported to a local medical facility for treatment.
Images from the scene showed Sosa-Celis conscious and alert during transport.
All three subjects involved in the assault are currently in the custody of ICE.
Further charges related to the assault on a federal officer and resisting arrest are pending review by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.