Former MPD officer indicted for deadly pursuit had been written up for another 5 months earlier
by: Jessica Gertler
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — WREG Investigators are digging deeper into the criminal indictments of two former Memphis Police officers accused of an unauthorized pursuit that resulted in a deadly crash.
Marquavius Williams and Ontarian Malone Jr. were indicted last month on a long list of charges including leaving the scene of an accident and official misconduct.
WREG Investigators uncovered records from the state’s policing board that state the pair was on patrol that night in May 2023 when they spotted a suspicious vehicle at a gas station. It goes on to state they started a pursuit “even though there was no evidence the vehicle was involved in any type of crime, nor had its driver violated any traffic laws.”
The car they were chasing then crashed into another car.
Cameras captured the fiery aftermath. A man told us then he tried to help.
“The flames, the flames were so horrific,” Trey Brady said. “We pulled the young lady out, you know, tried to help her out.”
Police said the crash resulted in a fatality and several others injured.
State and court records claim the officers didn’t render aid or call for an ambulance, and they never turned on their lights, siren or cameras either.
Five months before that, another police pursuit that resulted in a wreck was called into question.
WREG Investigators obtained Malone’s employment files and discovered he had just been under internal review for a similar violation, after a pursuit on Dec. 20, 2022.
Internal affairs state he engaged in a pursuit that lasted for eight minutes and reached a top speed of 129 miles per hour. They accused him of driving on the shoulder of the road and using his blue lights and siren intermittently. They noted his due care for others was “questionable,” and he “exhibited some reckless behavior.”
Malone was given a written reprimand. His file stated, “if further interactions of this nature occur, progressive disciplinary actions will be taken, but not limited to termination.”
There were also multiple praises in Malone’s file for arrests he’s made, other pursuits that resulted in arrests, finding a missing child, reviving a man who overdosed and more.
Malone resigned from MPD in January this year — before he could be disciplined from the 2023 incident. Williams resigned, too.
They both joined the Hernando, Mississippi Police Department in February. They resigned after they were indicted.
They are due in court June 21 for a bond arraignment.
WREG Investigators have also requested Williams’ employment files. We are waiting to hear back.
MPD requested both officers be decertified. We will let you know what happens.
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