New questions raised in Brian Gray case By JANE MCHUGH Staff Writer
The police officer who was traveling in his marked cruiser when he struck a young man's car at a Bowie intersection, killing him, has admitted to drinking beer beforehand.
But Officer Mario Chavez, a 30-year-old father of three, who works out of the department's Clinton district, claimed he wasn't drunk, saying he'd consumed three or four Corona beers eight hours earlier.
The surprising statement came during a deposition Chavez gave in mid-August. The deposition was for a $2 million civil case in which the family of victim Brian Gray, 20, is suing Chavez and the Prince George's County government for his wrongful death.
The case is also under a prolonged criminal investigation by the State's Attorney's Office.
Gray died Dec. 10 after Chavez struck his car at the intersection of Beaverdale Lane and Belair Drive. Gray was making a left-hand turn onto Belair Drive when Chavez's cruiser, which the suit alleges was speeding "in excess of 40 mph over the residential speed limit of 25 mph," plowed into the side of his car. Gray had just left his home nearby and was on his way to a class at the University of Maryland where he was studying with hopes of becoming a county police officer.
His mother, Mary, was in a car directly behind him.
She gave the Blade-News a transcript of the deposition in which her lawyer, Dana Paul, questioned Chavez about his actions before the accident.
The accident happened at 7:30 a.m. Chavez said that he'd been "having problems" with his wife and had slept at a friend's house in Lanham from 3 to 6:30 a.m. He said he was at a club drinking with the same friend from about 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.
He was on his way home to Bowie when he struck Gray.
Gray, he said, "all of a sudden" pulled out in front of him.
Chavez did not return calls as of press time.
He was not tested for drugs or alcohol after the crash. However, toxicology tests were performed on Gray.
Meanwhile, the criminal investigation into Chavez continues.
And Gray's mother is frustrated that it's taking so long. She wonders if Chavez's admission that he'd been drinking will have any impact on it and is angry at the police department for testing her son for drugs and alcohol, but not Chavez.
"I have just kind of stayed silent all this time hoping they'll do the right thing," Mary Gray said. "But it's being taken lightly."
