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Maryland State Police say that an off-duty DC police officer was killed in a car crash on I-270 Friday.

Maryland State Police say the collision happened at approximately 12:47 p.m. northbound on I-270 in the local lanes just south of the Falls Road exit.

State police say the preliminary investigation revealed that the driver of a tanker truck had pulled the vehicle to the right shoulder there to check for a possible equipment problem. After checking, 28-year-old Antonio Donnell Lucas got back in the cab.

According to state police, he saw a 2011 Scion XB from his passenger side view mirror approaching him on the right shoulder. Lucas told state police he put his truck in drive, honked the air horn and attempted to accelerate away in an attempt to avoid the collision, but almost immediately, the Scion struck the rear of the truck.

The vehicles became attached and traveled north on the shoulder for approximately 75 feet, say state police.

The Freightliner's bumper traveled over the Scion's engine block and into the passenger compartment due to its height, and killed the driver of the Scion.

The driver has been identified as Jelani Omar Prather, 36, of Rockville, Maryland. He was a DC Metropolitan Police officer assigned to the 5th District. He had been with the department since September 2001.

State police say there were no skid marks on the roadway before the area of initial impact, suggesting that the Scion may not have braked before the collision.

A witness stated that the Scion did not brake or swerve prior to the collision.

No charges have been sought in this case. The investigation into the crash is ongoing.