He was previously charged with failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer in a chase with detectives on the same day as the shooting. The Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office is reviewing murder, complicity to commit murder and tampering with evidence charges.
Just after 7 a.m. on Nov. 17 Montgomery County sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a shooting near the intersection of Turner Road and Philadelphia Drive. People in two vehicles were firing shots at each other, according to a press release previously issued by the sheriff’s office.
Heaven Washington was a passenger in a 2010 white Chevrolet Impala when she was shot. The driver took her to Miami Valley Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Detectives don’t believe the teen was the target of the shooting, but a tragic casualty, according to the sheriff’s office.
“This heartbreaking incident serves as a stark reminder of how an ongoing street grudge can escalate to a fatal encounter, tragically taking the life of an innocent little girl on her way to school for a field trip,” said Sheriff Rob Streck. “Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Heaven Washington during this difficult time.”
Investigators identified the second vehicle as a Toyota RAV-4 with Maryland registration. The SUV fled the scene, but detectives in unmarked patrol vehicles saw it later that day near the Englewood Meijer.
The SUV fled again, prompting a chase.
During the pursuit, the RAV-4 ran red light while going approximately 70 mph and nearly hit other vehicles turning left, according to Vandalia Municipal Court records. The SUV took Interstate 70 West and continued through New Lebanon and Farmersville before detectives found the vehicle abandoned on Havermale Road.
The SUV’s GPS showed it was going an average of 109.8 mph while on the highway, according to court records.
Video surveillance showed Moreland in the driver’s seat of the RAV-4 and driving before the chase. The vehicle was reportedly a rental under Moreland’s sister’s name.
His sister, Denisha Tenae Taylor, was a passenger in the RAV-4 during the chase and also identified as a person of interest. Taylor turned herself in and spoke to detectives, according to court records.
She was initially booked into the Montgomery County Jail on Nov. 20, but has since been released. She has not been charged in connection to the chase or the homicide as of Tuesday.
The sheriff’s office is continuing to ask anyone with information in the shooting to step forward. Call 937- 225-4665 to submit tips.
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