WASHINGTON, D.C. – Dozens of app-based food delivery workers gathered during peak dinner hours Wednesday evening to mourn and honor a fellow driver who was struck and killed during a police pursuit on the Taft Bridge.
Honoring Nolberto Meza
Mourners arranged their mopeds and motorbikes in a solemn honor formation across the bridge in Northwest D.C. to pay tribute to 46-year-old Nolberto Meza.
Meza was working and making a delivery on Saturday when the fatal collision occurred. Fellow drivers placed flowers along the Taft Bridge fencing, sharing stories of the daily dangers they all face while trying to make a living in extreme weather and heavy traffic.
The Fatal Crash
According to authorities, the incident began when a U.S. Park Police officer attempted to pull over a stolen vehicle on Rock Creek Parkway.
The encounter escalated into a high-speed pursuit that ended abruptly on the Taft Bridge, where the fleeing vehicle crashed directly into Meza’s moped. Meza was pronounced dead at the scene.
Community Demands Accountability
Members of the DC Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression joined the delivery drivers, marching across the bridge to protest federal law enforcement pursuit policies.
Activists pointed out that Meza is the second person killed since the U.S. Park Police loosened their pursuit guidelines following last August’s federal law enforcement surge. Community leaders are arguing that chasing vehicles through densely populated, crowded neighborhoods puts the entire public at unnecessary risk.
The investigation into the crash and the conduct surrounding the pursuit remains ongoing.
