A pedestrian hit and killed by a car whose driver was fleeing police Wednesday in downtown D.C. was a former Washington Informer photographer walking to his church to take pictures.
Marckell Williams, 26, photographed everyone from top elected leaders to children enjoying local festivals. His joy was using his camera to bring news and information to others.
Williams was walking across 16th Street at L Street before 4 p.m. Wednesday when the driver of a black Chevy Malibu trying to get away from police barreled into him during a disastrous chain-reaction crash.
“What comes to mind for Marckell is his faith, family, his fraternity and fearless storytelling,” former colleague Micha Green said.
She smiled through tears as she talked about Williams and the years they worked together at the Informer. He was right out of college and passionate about journalism. And he was good at it early in his career, Green said.
He recently turned his efforts to freelance work, she said.
“He truly loved his work from Washington, D.C., to Ghana,” Green said. “He told stories that really made a difference and was such an amazing visual storyteller.”
The Washington Informer paid tribute to Williams.
“We are heartbroken over the loss of Marckell Williams — a talented photographer, storyteller, and beautiful soul who was once part of the Washington Informer family. His passion for capturing people, culture, and truth will never be forgotten,” they said in a statement.
Santana Matthews, 20, was arrested at the scene.
Matthews was previously arrested twice on gun charges in 2024, when he was 18. Court records show in November of that year, he was sentenced to 12 months in prison under D.C.’s Youth Rehabilitation Act, but the entire 12 months was suspended.
Court documents say he was arrested on gun charges again last month. Information on the outcome of that arrest was not immediately available.
Matthews is charged with second-degree murder in the crash that killed Williams.
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