New suspect, victim information surfaces after driver hits 2 women near White House

Man charged in deadly crash near White House has criminal past

FOX 5 is learning new details about a man who was charged in a deadly crash that took place near the White House last week.

WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - A 33-year-old woman from Vienna, Virginia, and another close in age are the two women who were struck a few blocks from the White House after a suspect fled a Secret Service traffic stop last week.

The 33-year-old woman, who FOX 5 is not naming at this time, was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. The second woman was killed. Police have not yet identified that second woman and are still trying to contact her next of kin.

A neighbor of the two was visibly upset on Monday, calling this incident a senseless tragedy that horribly affected two innocent lives and their families. It’s believed the families are not from this country and are now trying to make their way to the D.C. area.

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The driver arrested and charged in this vehicle and fatal pedestrian crash is 35-year-old Spiro Stafilatos. He faces Murder II, Aggravated Assault, No permit and Misuse of Tags charges.

D.C. police said the incident occurred on Friday, Dec. 30 after uniformed Secret Service members patrolling on mountain bikes approached the suspect driver in his stopped Buick.

Police said Stafilatos had just dropped off a passenger by the gift shop located not far from the White House on the 700 block of 15th St. NW. Officers had noticed an issue with his tags and traced his license plate to a different vehicle.

Two women hit by car, 1 killed in Northwest

A driver fleeing a Secret Service traffic stop in D.C. struck two women Friday evening, killing one of them, and critically injuring the other.

Court documents say the Secret Service members asked the suspect for his license and that he refused commands, fleeing the location.

While trying to escape, the driver blew a red light near 14th Street and New York Avenue NW. An accident at the intersection sent the suspect’s vehicle into a spin, striking two women in a nearby crosswalk, according to officials.

Court documents say the two women were thrown in the air, landing near the suspect’s vehicle, which came to a final stop some 150 feet east of the intersection.

Police say the 35-year-old then exited his car and walked to the sidewalk, where he was arrested.

Authorities say Stafilatos gave multiple and some contradicting statements after his arrest. Court documents say he claimed he was fearing for his life, thinking the uniformed Secret Service officer was an armed robber.

He allegedly made a comment, saying he didn’t care, "if they’re dead. I’m alive and bleeding right now." He also allegedly claimed to have a mental health disability that will help him in court.

Police say the suspect tested positive for cocaine and marijuana after.

An online search of Stafilatos shows he has a court history in the region. In Montgomery County, it appears the suspect was sentenced to 3 years suspend all but 207 days with unsupervised probation for a 2020 armed robbery with a knife at the same White Oak gas station convenience store where a clerk was killed last month.

A Maryland Courts spokesperson was not in-office on Monday to answer questions about this sentence given despite the suspect’s court history.

The Washington Post reports an attorney argued for Stafilatos’ release on Saturday, claiming the fatal crash was unintentional.

A D.C. Superior Court Judge ordered Stafilatos held without bond. He’s due for another court appearance on Jan. 5.