A fatal accident was witnessed in Washington, D.C., following President Donald Trump’s military parade, when a woman was killed after being hit by a truck carrying a U.S. Army M1 Abrams tank.
The accident occurred Monday night while a contracted driver was relocating tanks from the National Mall, documents show. The military vehicles were among the featured equipment in a massive parade that took place to commemorate Trump’s 79th birthday and the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary.
Police confirmed the victim as 39-year-old Sierra Nichole Smith. Metropolitan Police Department spokesman Freddie Talbert informed USA Today, “An adult female, unconscious and not breathing, [was] in a life-threatening condition. Through life-saving measures, the pedestrian was declared dead.”
How the Accident Happened
The truck was carrying the tank from West Potomac Park to a rail yard in Jessup, Maryland, when the incident happened. Officers arrived around 9:30 p.m. in Northeast Washington, where Smith was located along New York Avenue.
Fox 5 DC said investigators think Smith probably slipped and fell in front of the semi-truck as it traveled east on New York Avenue. A 2007 silver Chevrolet Suburban, which was behind the truck, is also thought to have been a factor in the accident, knocking her off balance and then striking her.
The two drivers did stay at the scene, and emergency responders declared Smith dead soon after they arrived.
Trump’s Parade Amid Protests
The military parade, which took place on June 15 to celebrate Trump’s birthday and the Army’s milestone, included almost 6,000 troops and 84 military vehicles — of which 28 were M1 Abrams tanks. It was the largest military procession in Washington since 1991, when soldiers marched to celebrate victory in the Gulf War.
On the same day, “No Kings” protests were organized in many cities all over the U.S., criticizing Trump’s leadership and policies.
