Off-Duty Police Sergeant Dies in One-Vehicle Accident

An off-duty Philadelphia Police sergeant died after a single-vehicle wreck late Saturday night.

Police say Rafael Ali, 32, was driving southbound on the 6000 block of Henry Avenue when his truck mounted the center median and struck a large tree. Emergency crews extricated him from the wreck. Ali was taken to Albert Einstein Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 12:20 a.m. Sunday.

“At this point there is no indication that alcohol played a part in this crash, however, speed may have been a factor,” police said in a statement.

“Normally, someone would hit a brake, would swerve,” Captain John Wilczynski told CBS3. “So it’s just a thought that he may have fallen asleep. It’s a theory right now.”

Ali, a 10-year veteran, was a father of two children.

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