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SOURCE LINKS:

https://www.foxcarolina.com/2026/08/15/coroner-3-killed-vehicle-fire-after-crash-spartanburg-county/

SOURCE LINKS:

https://www.foxcarolina.com/2026/08/15/coroner-3-killed-vehicle-fire-after-crash-spartanburg-county/

SOURCE LINKS:

https://www.foxcarolina.com/2026/08/15/coroner-3-killed-vehicle-fire-after-crash-spartanburg-county/

https://abc13.com/post/burglary-suspect-found-dead-flipped-car-fire-fleeing-authorities-heights-houston-police-say/19682711/

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https://www.abc27.com/pennsylvania/pennsylvania-police-chase-results-in-deadly-crash-psp-says/

On 08/10/2026, Luis Antonio Cruz Hernandez, 22, was killed in a motorcycle crash while Reading Police Department officers pursued him through Reading. Authorities reported that police initially attempted to stop Hernandez for multiple traffic violations, including alleged reckless driving and excessive speed.
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Hernandez continued driving away while police pursued. The pursuit traveled in and out of Reading before returning to the city.
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During the pursuit, Hernandez's motorcycle collided with another vehicle in Reading. He suffered multiple blunt-force injuries and was transported to Reading Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The Berks County Coroner's Office identified him as Luis Antonio Cruz Hernandez, 22, of Reading.
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The Berks County Coroner's Office classified the manner of death as accidental. The fatality remains a police-pursuit death for database purposes because Hernandez crashed while Reading police were actively pursuing him.
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The available reporting does not yet establish the pursuit's complete duration, distance, speeds, supervisory authorization, whether police attempted PIT/TVI or stop sticks, or whether officers terminated or continued the pursuit immediately before the collision.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The Reading Police Department officers involved in the pursuit have not been publicly identified.
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Preliminary report; this page will be updated as authorities release additional information.

https://www.wfmz.com/news/area/berks/reading-area/22-year-old-motorcyclist-identified-in-police-pursuit-that-turned-fatal/article_e0872308-43ee-4322-a40b-949c97d2b51e.html
https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/motorcyclist-dies-in-crash-during-police-chase-in-reading-officials-say/4447311/
https://local21news.com/news/local/motorcyclist-killed-in-crash-in-reading-coroner-berks-county-pa-pennsylvania-police
https://1340wraw.iheart.com/featured/wraw-newsroom/content/2026-08-13-motorcyclist-killed-in-crash-during-chase-identified/

On 08/09/2026, 39-year-old Jarrett Deuane Danridge of Beech Island was killed after crashing his Cadillac during a police pursuit that began in Richmond County, Georgia, crossed the state line and continued into Aiken County, South Carolina. Contemporary reporting identifies Danridge as the driver and confirms that Richmond County law enforcement initiated the pursuit.

The pursuit began during the overnight hours and continued across county and state lines into South Carolina. Richmond County deputies pursued Danridge into Aiken County, where Aiken County law enforcement also became involved.

The specific reason Richmond County deputies initially attempted to stop Danridge has not been disclosed in the currently available reporting. Because the original basis for the attempted stop has not been publicly established, later allegations that Danridge fled or drove at high speed should not be substituted for the initiating reason for the police encounter.

During the pursuit in Aiken County, Danridge lost control of the Cadillac on Old Jackson Highway near Atomic Road. The vehicle left the roadway and crashed. Danridge was ejected from the vehicle and suffered fatal injuries. He was pronounced dead following the crash. Reporting describes the collision as a single-vehicle crash.

Danridge had prior encounters with law enforcement involving police pursuits. Records from Columbia County, Georgia, identify him as Jarrett Deuane Danridge and show that he was arrested in December 2022 on a felony fleeing or attempting to elude charge. He was arrested again in March 2023 on allegations including fleeing or attempting to elude, DUI, failure to maintain lane, driving with a suspended or revoked license and an open-container violation.

Earlier 2022 booking records also document an arrest involving allegations of DUI, reckless driving, failure to maintain lane, failure to obey traffic-control devices and driving with a suspended or revoked license.

The South Carolina Highway Patrol is responsible for investigating the fatal crash.

https://www.wfxg.com/news/beech-island-man-dies-after-overnight-police-chase-and-crash/article_43e458dc-e251-4d93-a266-0a30a709d754.html
https://augustacrime.com/jarrett-danridge/
https://augustacrime.com/jarrett-danridge-2/
https://thegeorgiagazette.com/columbia/jarrett-danridge/
 

REASON FOR CHASE: Unconfirmed. Witnesses and community members allege that the vehicle that struck Zakiyah Dansby was being pursued by Newark police immediately before the fatal crash. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka has disputed that account and said the city had not established that police were pursuing the vehicle. The New Jersey Attorney General's Office is investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash.

NARRATIVE:

On 08/09/2026, 17-year-old Zakiyah Dansby was struck and killed by a vehicle at Bloomfield Avenue and Mount Prospect Avenue in Newark while walking home from a neighborhood store. Her death is now under investigation by the New Jersey Attorney General's Office amid allegations that the vehicle that struck her was fleeing from Newark police.

Dansby's family said she had walked to a nearby store and was on her way home when she was killed. Police found her at the intersection shortly before 9 p.m.

The central unresolved issue is whether Newark police were pursuing the vehicle immediately before it struck Dansby. Members of the community have publicly alleged that the fatal collision occurred during a police pursuit. That allegation has not yet been established as fact by the investigating authorities.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka publicly disputed portions of the account circulating after the crash. Baraka said the vehicle involved was not stolen and emphasized that Newark has a restrictive vehicle-pursuit policy permitting pursuits only under limited circumstances involving serious offenses.

The mayor's statement did not resolve the fundamental factual question of whether officers were nevertheless following or pursuing the vehicle before Dansby was struck. Because of the conflicting accounts surrounding possible police involvement, the New Jersey Attorney General's Office took responsibility for investigating the circumstances of her death.

One person subsequently turned himself in and was taken into custody in connection with the crash. As of the initial public reporting, authorities had not announced charges against the driver.

Authorities also had not publicly established why the vehicle was traveling at the speed or in the manner that resulted in Dansby's death, whether Newark police had attempted a traffic stop, whether an officer had activated emergency lights or sirens, how close any police vehicle was to the vehicle that struck Dansby, or whether police had terminated any attempted pursuit before the collision.

Those questions are particularly important in determining whether Dansby's death should ultimately be classified as a police-pursuit fatality rather than an ordinary fatal traffic collision.

Hundreds of people gathered at Bloomfield Avenue and Mount Prospect Avenue on 08/12/2026 to mourn Dansby and demand answers about the circumstances of her death. Family members, friends and community members gathered with pink balloons near the intersection where she was killed.

Dansby's grandmother, Ada Dansby, publicly demanded justice for her granddaughter and expressed anguish that the 17-year-old would never have the opportunity to graduate. Friends remembered Dansby as energetic, happy and someone who brought life to those around her.

The case remains especially important for police-encounter documentation because the publicly available evidence is presently contradictory. Community accounts place a police pursuit immediately before the fatal collision, while Newark officials dispute that characterization. The involvement of the New Jersey Attorney General's Office means the circumstances surrounding possible law-enforcement involvement are now subject to an independent state investigation.

Until that investigation establishes whether police were pursuing or attempting to stop the vehicle, Dansby's death should be retained as a, rather than treated as a confirmed pursuit death.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/hundreds-protest-newark-teen-death-150604566.html
https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/newark-teen-killed-hit-and-run/

On 08/08/2026, 34-year-old Robert Oppenheimer of Olin was killed in a single-vehicle crash while a Linn County Sheriff’s Office deputy pursued him south of Fairfax, Iowa. The pursuit began at approximately 9:13 p.m. near Williams Boulevard and East Southview Road.
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The Linn County Sheriff’s Office reported that a deputy initially attempted to stop Oppenheimer for a traffic violation. Despite searching the available initial and follow-up reporting, the specific traffic violation that prompted the attempted stop has not been publicly disclosed. The available reports describe it only as a “traffic violation,” so no more specific initiating offense can presently be established.
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Police reported that Oppenheimer continued driving after the deputy attempted the stop, and the deputy pursued him southbound on Lefebure Road. Oppenheimer was driving a 2020 Ford F-150 and was the vehicle’s sole occupant.
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At approximately 9:17 p.m., about four minutes after the attempted traffic stop began, Oppenheimer reached the T-intersection of Lefebure Road and Wright Brothers Boulevard. According to the Iowa State Patrol crash report, he failed to stop at the stop sign, continued through the intersection and left the roadway. The pickup came to rest in the south ditch.
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Emergency personnel performed lifesaving measures. Oppenheimer was transported by ambulance and pronounced dead. The Iowa State Patrol crash report stated that Oppenheimer was not wearing a seat belt. Fairfax Fire Department, area ambulance personnel and Lifeguard air medical personnel responded to the crash.
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The Iowa State Patrol is investigating the fatal collision. Initial public reporting does not identify the Linn County deputy who initiated or participated in the pursuit.

https://who13.com/news/iowa-man-dies-after-pursuit-with-law-enforcement-ends-in-crash/
https://www.kcrg.com/2026/08/10/driver-killed-linn-county-chase-identified-jones-county-man/
https://www.kcrg.com/2026/08/09/one-dead-after-linn-county-police-chase-ends-with-crash/
https://cbs2iowa.com/news/local/driver-dies-after-crashing-during-linn-county-deputy-pursuit
https://kmch.com/2026/08/10/olin-man-killed-during-linn-county-pursuit/
https://ottumwaradio.com/2026/08/eastern-iowa-man-dies-while-eluding-county-deputies-saturday-night/
 

On 08/08/2026, 35-year-old Damion Paul Proffit was killed in a single-vehicle crash shortly after Fargo Police Department officers attempted to stop him in north Fargo. At approximately 12:18 a.m., officers attempted the traffic stop while Proffit was driving a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado in the 700 block of Broadway North.

Police specifically initiated the stop because Proffit was a known suspended driver and they suspected he was driving while his license was suspended. Police reported that Proffit accelerated away at a high rate of speed. According to the North Dakota Highway Patrol and Fargo police accounts, officers discontinued the attempted stop and did not pursue the Silverado.

Shortly afterward, a Fargo police officer found the Silverado crashed in the 1500 block of Dakota Drive near North Dakota State University. The Silverado had failed to negotiate a curve, struck a tree and continued between two apartment buildings. Debris from the Silverado struck a parked and unoccupied Honda Element, causing extensive damage.

Proffit died at the scene from injuries sustained in the crash. Authorities reported that he was wearing a seat belt. The North Dakota Highway Patrol took responsibility for investigating the fatal crash.

https://www.inforum.com/news/fargo/man-who-died-in-north-fargo-crash-after-fleeing-police-identified
https://www.valleynewslive.com/2026/08/09/fargo-man-identified-after-fleeing-police-crashing-into-tree-dakota-drive/
https://www.valleynewslive.com/2026/08/08/fargo-man-dies-after-fleeing-police-crashing-into-tree-dakota-drive/
https://www.kfyrtv.com/2026/08/09/fargo-man-dies-after-fleeing-police-crashing-into-tree/
https://www.wdayradionow.com/news/local-news/fargo-man-dies-after-fleeing-traffic-stop/
https://www.docr.nd.gov/sites/www/files/documents/parole_pardon/Parole/Minutes%20%26%20Result%20Upload/May%202024%20Parole%20Board%20results%20and%20minutes.pdf
https://www.grandforksherald.com/newsmd/moorhead-woman-18-gets-4-year-sentence-in-pill-bust
https://www.inforum.com/newsmd/moorhead-search-warrant-leads-to-cache-of-prescription-pills-cash

On 08/08/2026, 21-year-old Hailie D. Hune of Prospect, Tennessee, was killed during a police pursuit involving an Alabama Law Enforcement Agency state trooper on Interstate 565 near mile marker 14 within the Huntsville city limits. The fatal crash occurred shortly after 10:00 p.m.
Hune was driving a 2017 Dodge Charger. According to ALEA, an on-duty state trooper driving a marked 2020 Dodge Charger patrol vehicle was pursuing Hune on I-565. The specific reason the trooper initially attempted to stop Hune has not been publicly disclosed in the reporting available as of 08/11/2026. ALEA has described Hune as attempting to elude the trooper but has not disclosed the conduct or alleged offense that initiated the attempted traffic stop and subsequent pursuit.

During the pursuit, Hune's Dodge Charger left the roadway, overturned and struck a concrete barrier near mile marker 14. The pursuing Alabama state trooper then crashed the marked patrol vehicle into Hune's overturned Charger.

Hune was pronounced dead at the scene. The state trooper was injured in the collision and transported to an area hospital for medical treatment. Authorities have not publicly disclosed the trooper's identity or the extent of the trooper's injuries.The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Highway Patrol Division is investigating the pursuit and fatal collision. Initial reporting does not disclose the speed or duration of the pursuit, where the attempted stop began, whether the trooper had been authorized to continue the pursuit, or the distance between the patrol vehicle and Hune's Charger immediately before the crashes.

https://www.waff.com/2026/08/10/tennessee-woman-killed-i-565-crash-identified-during-pursuit-with-state-trooper-huntsville/
https://www.rocketcitynow.com/article/news/local/alea-woman-21-dies-in-crash-attempting-to-elude-state-trooper/525-de50f4d9-9112-4358-b0e7-f70887f21f91

On 08/07/2026, at approximately 3:15 a.m., a vehicle crashed at Granby Street and Beverly Avenue in Norfolk after having been pursued by Norfolk Police Department officers earlier that morning.

Norfolk Police said officers determined that the vehicle was stolen and pursued it. Police subsequently terminated the pursuit, and the pursuing officers lost contact with the vehicle before the crash. Authorities have not disclosed where officers initially encountered the vehicle, how long or how far the pursuit continued, the speeds reached during the pursuit, or the specific circumstances that caused officers to terminate it.

A short time after police terminated the pursuit, a witness saw the vehicle leave Granby Street, strike a tree and catch fire and called 911. Norfolk Police and Norfolk Fire-Rescue responded. The driver and passenger were both pronounced dead at the scene. Police said preliminary evidence indicated speed was a factor in the crash.

The Norfolk Police Department Traffic Unit is investigating the fatal crash. As of 08/08/2026, police said identification of both people killed remained inconclusive and had not released either name.

https://www.13newsnow.com/article/traffic/large-police-response-shuts-down-portions-of-norfolks-granby-street-early-friday/291-f36aae1f-efa5-4a4b-aca8-779b948dcd5f
https://www.norfolk.gov/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/10406

On 08/07/2026, at approximately 3:15 a.m., a passenger was killed when the vehicle in which the passenger was riding crashed at Granby Street and Beverly Avenue in Norfolk after having been pursued by Norfolk Police Department officers earlier that morning.

Norfolk Police said officers determined that the vehicle was stolen and pursued it. Police subsequently terminated the pursuit, and the pursuing officers lost contact with the vehicle before the crash. Authorities have not disclosed where officers initially encountered the vehicle, how long or how far the pursuit continued, the speeds reached during the pursuit, or the specific circumstances that caused officers to terminate it.

A short time after police terminated the pursuit, a witness saw the vehicle leave Granby Street, strike a tree and catch fire and called 911. Norfolk Police and Norfolk Fire-Rescue responded. The passenger and driver were both pronounced dead at the scene. Police said preliminary evidence indicated speed was a factor in the crash.

The Norfolk Police Department Traffic Unit is investigating the fatal crash. As of 08/08/2026, police said identification of both people killed remained inconclusive and had not released either name.

https://www.13newsnow.com/article/traffic/large-police-response-shuts-down-portions-of-norfolks-granby-street-early-friday/291-f36aae1f-efa5-4a4b-aca8-779b948dcd5f
https://www.norfolk.gov/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/10406

On 08/07/2026, an unidentified male driver was killed near Wapato, Washington, after a police pursuit initiated by the Toppenish Police Department ended when his vehicle was struck by a train. The pursuit began in Toppenish and continued toward Wapato before reaching the railroad tracks.

Toppenish police attempted to stop the vehicle before the driver continued driving away while police pursued. The currently available reporting does not disclose the specific offense or conduct that caused Toppenish police to initially attempt the traffic stop. Because the original reason for the attempted stop has not been publicly identified, it should not be replaced with the driver's later decision to drive away from police.

The pursuit traveled from Toppenish toward Wapato. During the pursuit, the driver reached a railroad crossing as a train approached. The vehicle entered the crossing and was struck by the train. The driver was killed in the collision.

The death raises significant questions about the decision to initiate and continue the pursuit because Toppenish Police Department has a written vehicle-pursuit policy requiring officers and supervisors to continually balance the need for immediate apprehension against the danger created by a pursuit.

The department's published policy states that an officer must receive supervisory authorization before initiating a vehicle pursuit. The policy requires officers and supervisors to consider alternatives to pursuit and evaluate whether apprehension is necessary, whether the person presents an imminent threat to others, and whether the danger of allowing the person to escape is greater than the danger created by pursuing the vehicle.

The same policy requires continuing reassessment once a pursuit has begun. It directs officers to terminate a pursuit when the objective circumstances indicate that the risks created by continuing it outweigh the risks resulting from the driver's escape. If a supervisor orders termination, pursuing officers are required to terminate immediately. The policy specifically directs officers and supervisors to continuously weigh the seriousness of the underlying offense against the danger to motorists, police and the public.

The policy also requires pursuit vehicles to use emergency lighting and sirens and requires officers to drive with due regard for the safety of people and property. These provisions make the original reason for the attempted stop, supervisory authorization, pursuit speeds, traffic conditions, duration, distance and circumstances surrounding the railroad crossing important to evaluating the pursuit that preceded this death.

The complete police records should establish which Toppenish officer attempted the initial stop; the specific reason for that stop; the facts communicated to the supervisor before pursuit authorization; which supervisor authorized the pursuit; the time the pursuit began; the route and distance traveled; speeds reached by the pursued and police vehicles; whether additional officers or agencies joined; and whether officers or supervisors discussed terminating the pursuit before the train collision.

Records from the final portion of the pursuit are especially important. Dispatch recordings, body-camera video, patrol-vehicle video, GPS data and radio traffic should establish when officers became aware that the pursuit was approaching railroad tracks, whether the crossing lights or gates had activated, the location and speed of the pursuing police vehicle relative to the pursued vehicle, whether the train was visible or audible to officers, and whether police continued the pursuit through the moments immediately preceding the collision.

Toppenish Police Department's publicly available policy manual therefore provides an unusually useful benchmark for reviewing this death. The department's own written rules require supervisory authorization and continuing risk assessment rather than treating the initial decision to pursue as authorization to continue regardless of changing circumstances.

The driver's identity, age and the names of the pursuing Toppenish officers have not yet been publicly released in the reporting located for this newly reported case. The case should be updated when the Yakima County coroner releases the driver's identity and when police reports, dispatch records or subsequent reporting identify the pursuing officer or officers.

https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/train-hits-fleeing-driver-near-wapato-after-toppenish-pursuit/article_396c188c-80a4-4321-9b1f-00020fab1994.html
https://www.toppenish.gov/media/726

On 08/06/2026, at approximately 3:58 p.m., a Snohomish County Sheriff's Office deputy attempted to stop a 34-year-old Lynnwood man for reckless driving in the 19600 block of Highway 99. The Sheriff's Office said the deputy had probable cause for reckless driving. The driver continued driving away while the deputy pursued him.

The pursuit continued eastbound onto 200th Street Southwest in Lynnwood. During the pursuit, the driver's vehicle crossed the center line into oncoming traffic and collided with two vehicles traveling westbound in the 5300 block of 200th Street Southwest.

The 34-year-old driver died at the scene. People in both of the uninvolved vehicles were transported to a hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening.

The Lynnwood Police Department is investigating the fatal collision because the crash occurred within Lynnwood city limits. The Snohomish County Sheriff's Office is separately investigating the events that preceded the crash and the deputy's pursuit. The driver's identity has not been publicly released in the reporting located.

https://www.king5.com/article/traffic/traffic-news/lynnwood-man-dies-after-pursued-vehicle-crosses-into-oncoming-traffic-crashes-into-two-cars/281-7fd74db8-6bb3-4f91-b81c-ac7cf8261911
https://www.heraldnet.com/2026/08/07/driver-killed-in-crash-while-fleeing-from-deputies-in-lynnwood/
https://komonews.com/news/local/speeding-driver-dies-in-lynnwood-crash-involving-three-vehicles-others-injured-snohomish-county-crime-crash-investigation

On 08/05/2026, Carroll County Sheriff's Office deputies observed a 2013 GMC Acadia traveling eastbound on Maryland Route 26 near Oakland Mills Road at approximately 81 mph in a 45-mph zone. Deputies attempted a traffic stop for the speeding violation, and 17-year-old Angel Callejas Fuentes continued driving away while deputies pursued.

During the pursuit, the GMC reached speeds approaching 100 mph while traveling east toward Baltimore County. Carroll County deputies terminated the pursuit in the area of Route 26 and Holbrook Road as the vehicle entered Baltimore County.

At approximately 11:14 p.m., after the Carroll County deputies had terminated the pursuit, the GMC was traveling east on Liberty Road in Randallstown when it left the roadway near Lyon Mills Road and struck a tree. Callejas Fuentes was critically injured and transported to a hospital, where he died. Two juvenile passengers, one riding in the front seat and one in the rear, were transported to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center with life-threatening injuries.

After learning about the fatal crash, Carroll County deputies returned to Route 26 and confirmed that the GMC involved in the Randallstown collision was the same vehicle they had pursued. The Sheriff's Office reviewed its in-car camera footage documenting the pursuit and its termination but declined to publicly release the recording.

The Carroll County Sheriff's Office contacted the Maryland Attorney General's Independent Investigations Division regarding the death. After reviewing the circumstances, the IID declined to investigate. Baltimore County Police are investigating the fatal crash.

https://www.dcnewsnow.com/news/local-news/maryland/carroll-county/teen-dies-2-others-hurt-in-crash-after-fleeing-carroll-county-deputies-officials/
https://www.wbaltv.com/article/baltimore-county-crash-carroll-county-chase/73369472
https://www.wmar2news.com/news/region/baltimore-county/teenager-killed-two-others-critically-injured-after-single-vehicle-crash-in-randallstown

On 08/02/2026, Reggie Pederson, 66, was killed in Memphis when a driver being pursued by a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper crashed into Pederson’s vehicle at the intersection of Airways Boulevard and Park Avenue. Pederson had no involvement in the police pursuit and was traveling independently when the pursuit entered the intersection.

The pursuit began after a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper conducting traffic enforcement on Airways Boulevard clocked a vehicle traveling nearly 90 mph in a posted 40 mph zone. This excessive speed was the documented initiating reason for the attempted stop and subsequent pursuit. The trooper caught up with the vehicle near Airways Boulevard and Ketchum Road.

According to court records and the trooper’s account, the driver continued driving away while the trooper pursued. Police alleged that the driver traveled at speeds too fast for road conditions, crossed into lanes of oncoming traffic and drove through multiple red lights as the pursuit continued along Airways Boulevard.

The pursuit proceeded north along Airways toward Park Avenue, a major urban intersection surrounded by businesses, residential neighborhoods and regular cross traffic. According to court records, the pursued vehicle entered the intersection of Airways Boulevard and Park Avenue against a red traffic signal and crashed into Pederson’s vehicle. The collision killed Pederson.

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A 6-year-old child was inside the pursued vehicle during the chase and crash. The child suffered a traumatic head injury and a severe tongue injury and was transported to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital.

The driver survived the crash and was hospitalized. Court records subsequently showed that he had been released on bond only weeks earlier following a separate July 2026 encounter involving Memphis police and Tennessee state troopers. On July 4, Memphis Police Department officers attempted a traffic stop and the driver allegedly drove away. Approximately 30 minutes later, Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers located him, pursued him and arrested him on an allegation of vehicle theft. He posted bond six days later.

The earlier pursuit is relevant to the circumstances surrounding Pederson’s death because the August 2 pursuit occurred while the driver remained on bond from that July case. Following the fatal August crash, he was held in the hospital's prison ward and a $250,000 bail was set.

Pederson was a Memphis photographer whose work documented musicians, artists, live performances and people throughout the city. He also worked professionally in facilities/project management. His photography had become familiar within Memphis' arts and music communities. Friends and fellow photographers remembered him as supportive of other photographers and particularly skilled at photographing people. Photographer Joel Rose said Pederson had a genuine love of people that was visible in his photographs, while photographer David Johnson described him as an encouraging presence in the local photography community.

Pederson's death occurred amid substantial scrutiny of Tennessee Highway Patrol's pursuit practices in Memphis. Investigative reporting earlier in 2026 examined 75 vehicle pursuits associated with the Memphis Safe Task Force during its first five weeks of operation. Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers conducted 66 of those pursuits, or 88 percent. Forty-three percent of the task force pursuits examined by reporters resulted in crashes.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol's written vehicle-pursuit policy has also become a significant transparency issue. The Institute for Public Service Reporting sought the policy under the Tennessee Public Records Act, but state officials declined to release it, asserting that the policy was exempt from public disclosure. This prevents the public from directly comparing a particular trooper's decision to initiate, continue or terminate a pursuit with THP's own written pursuit standards.

The records most important to determining the complete circumstances of Pederson's death include the identity of the initiating and pursuing trooper; THP dash-camera and body-camera recordings; the complete pursuit radio traffic; dispatch/CAD records; GPS and vehicle-speed data from the THP cruiser; the trooper's pursuit and incident reports; any supervisory pursuit authorization or monitoring records; any orders to continue or terminate the pursuit; crash reconstruction records; Tennessee Highway Patrol fatal-crash reports; intersection or traffic-camera video from Airways Boulevard and Park Avenue; nearby business surveillance video; 911 calls; and any post-pursuit administrative or internal review.

Those records are particularly important for establishing the exact pursuit duration and distance, the trooper's speed, the distance between the patrol vehicle and pursued vehicle at the time of the collision, whether additional THP units joined the pursuit, whether supervisors were monitoring it, whether the pursuit was ever ordered terminated or modified, whether emergency lights and siren were continuously activated, and what information concerning the presence of other motorists and the driver's increasingly dangerous conduct was communicated before the fatal collision.

The pursuing trooper's identity has not been publicly disclosed in the reporting located to date.

https://www.actionnews5.com/2026/08/10/photographer-killed-deadly-thp-chase-suspect-was-out-bond-prior-chase-records-show/
https://www.psrmemphis.org/state-officials-decline-to-release-thps-vehicle-pursuit-policy/
https://www.psrmemphis.org/thp-chief-says-he-will-review-vehicle-pursuit-practices/
https://mlk50.com/2026/02/20/risky-high-speed-chases-explode-under-memphis-safe-task-force/
https://www.tn.gov/safety/publicsafety/openrecords.html

On 08/01/2026, at approximately 1:10 a.m., Anchorage Police Department Officer Kaden Pohl was driving a marked patrol vehicle westbound while responding to a call for service. Pohl entered the intersection of 36th Avenue and A Street as 68-year-old Cemal Sadiku drove a taxicab northbound through the same intersection. The police vehicle and taxicab collided near the middle of the intersection with sufficient force that both vehicles caught fire.

Sadiku, who was driving the taxi, died at the scene. His front-seat passenger, 45-year-old William Phillips, also died. Three passengers seated in the rear of the taxi survived and were transported to a hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening. Pohl was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries and was released by August 3.

Police Chief Sean Case said Pohl’s emergency lights were activated while he was responding to the call. Case said investigators still needed to determine whether the patrol vehicle’s siren was operating. APD has not publicly identified the nature or urgency of the call, Pohl’s speed, which vehicle had the traffic signal, or the precise sequence that placed both vehicles in the intersection. The department opened both a traffic investigation and an internal investigation into Pohl’s driving. The case number is 26-20211.

Pohl joined APD in December 2020. Approximately six weeks before Sadiku’s death, Pohl fatally shot 33-year-old Deandrea Robertson during a June 16, 2026 encounter inside the loss-prevention office at the Walmart on Old Seward Highway. Police had entered the confined room for a reported retail theft. During a struggle involving Robertson and three officers, Robertson produced a concealed handgun and fired. One bullet wounded Officer Trevor Amburn in the leg, and another struck Pohl’s ballistic plate. Pohl then fired and killed Robertson. Officer Tae Yoon suffered hearing damage and temporary vision impairment from the gunfire. Pohl was placed on four days of administrative leave under department policy and had returned to duty before the August 1 fatal crash. The Alaska Office of Special Prosecutions was reviewing that shooting when the traffic collision occurred.

Pohl was also named in a 2023 federal civil-rights lawsuit filed by Brenda Boudreau concerning a February 19, 2023 traffic stop. Boudreau alleged that officers broke her vehicle window, forcibly removed and handcuffed her, searched her and impounded her vehicle without lawful grounds. The claims against Pohl and the other officers were dismissed with prejudice in August 2025; the dismissal was not a finding that Pohl had committed misconduct.

https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/08/01/apd-36th-closed-due-collision-with-injuries/
https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/08/03/police-name-2-killed-car-crash-involving-apd-officer/
https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/anchorage/2026/08/01/2-die-in-midtown-collision-with-anchorage-police-vehicle-police-say/
https://www.anchoragepolice.com/news/traffic-investigation-a-street-and-36th-closed
https://alaskapublic.org/news/anchorage/2026-06-25/man-killed-in-shootout-with-officer-at-anchorage-walmart-had-a-shoplifting-accomplice-police-say
https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/06/25/live-police-provide-update-walmart-police-shooting-that-left-suspect-dead-three-officers-hurt/
https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/alaska/akdce/3%3A2023cv00164/71814/52/

On 08/01/2026, at approximately 1:10 a.m., Anchorage Police Department Officer Kaden Pohl was driving a marked patrol vehicle westbound while responding to a call for service. At the intersection of 36th Avenue and A Street, Pohl’s police vehicle collided with a northbound taxicab driven by 68-year-old Cemal Sadiku. The vehicles met near the middle of the intersection and both caught fire after the impact.

Forty-five-year-old William Phillips was riding in the front passenger seat of the taxi and died at the scene. Sadiku also died. Three passengers seated in the rear of the taxi survived and were transported to a hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening. Pohl was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries and was released by August 3.

Police Chief Sean Case said Pohl had activated the patrol vehicle’s emergency lights while traveling to the call. Case said investigators had not yet determined whether Pohl was using the siren. APD has not publicly disclosed the type or priority of call, Pohl’s speed, the traffic-light sequence or which driver had the right of way. Investigators are examining the vehicles, available electronic and roadway evidence and the circumstances under which Pohl entered the intersection. APD opened a traffic investigation and a separate internal investigation. The case number is 26-20211.

Pohl had served with APD since December 2020. On June 16, 2026, approximately six weeks before Phillips was killed, Pohl fatally shot 33-year-old Deandrea Robertson inside a confined loss-prevention office at the Walmart on Old Seward Highway. Officers had responded to a reported retail theft. During a struggle involving Robertson and three officers, Robertson drew a concealed handgun and fired. Officer Trevor Amburn was wounded in the leg, and another bullet struck the ballistic plate in Pohl’s vest. Pohl fired and killed Robertson. A third officer, Tae Yoon, suffered hearing damage and temporary vision impairment. Pohl was placed on four days of administrative leave and returned to duty while the Alaska Office of Special Prosecutions reviewed the shooting.

Pohl was additionally named as a defendant in a federal lawsuit arising from a February 19, 2023 APD traffic stop. Plaintiff Brenda Boudreau alleged that officers lacked lawful grounds for the stop, broke her vehicle window, forcibly removed and handcuffed her, searched her and impounded the vehicle. A federal court dismissed the claims against Pohl and the other officers with prejudice in August 2025. The case therefore documents a prior civil allegation involving Pohl but did not result in a judicial finding that he violated Boudreau’s rights.

https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/08/01/apd-36th-closed-due-collision-with-injuries/
https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/08/03/police-name-2-killed-car-crash-involving-apd-officer/
https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/anchorage/2026/08/01/2-die-in-midtown-collision-with-anchorage-police-vehicle-police-say/
https://www.anchoragepolice.com/news/traffic-investigation-a-street-and-36th-closed
https://alaskapublic.org/news/anchorage/2026-06-25/man-killed-in-shootout-with-officer-at-anchorage-walmart-had-a-shoplifting-accomplice-police-say
https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/06/25/live-police-provide-update-walmart-police-shooting-that-left-suspect-dead-three-officers-hurt/
https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/alaska/akdce/3%3A2023cv00164/71814/52/

On 07/29/2026, 30-year-old Juan Rios was killed when he crashed during a police pursuit that began in Victorville and ended in Pomona. At approximately 1:33 a.m., San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department deputies attempted to stop the blue 2025 Nissan Sentra Rios was driving for an alleged vehicle-code violation in Victorville. Rios continued driving away while deputies pursued him through city streets and onto southbound Interstate 15.

The California Highway Patrol assumed control of the pursuit as Rios continued south through the Cajon Pass. The pursuit traveled onto Interstate 215 and Interstate 10 before Rios exited the freeway at Towne Avenue in Pomona.

At approximately 2:00 a.m., Rios crossed railroad tracks near Towne Avenue and Bonita Avenue, lost control of the Nissan and left the roadway. The car crashed head-on into a large palm tree outside an apartment complex. The impact caused extensive damage to the driver’s side and roof of the Nissan and broke off the upper portion of the palm tree.

Rios was the only person inside the car. Emergency responders pronounced him dead at the scene. The pursuit covered approximately 50 miles from Victorville to Pomona. The California Highway Patrol investigated the fatal crash and the circumstances surrounding the pursuit.

https://www.vvng.com/fleeing-driver-killed-after-high-speed-pursuit-from-victorville-ends-in-violent-crash-in-pomona/
https://abc7.com/post/chase-ends-violent-crash-outside-pomona-apartment-complex/19596546/
https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/pomona-deadly-police-pursuit-driver-crashes-into-palm-tree-towne-ave/

On 07/29/2026, Sebastian Hamilton was riding as a passenger in a Hyundai Santa Fe when an Abington Police Department officer attempted to stop the vehicle after determining it displayed an expired registration. The driver continued driving away while police pursued. The SUV ran a red light on Washington Street, left the roadway, and struck a tree. Hamilton suffered critical injuries in the crash and was transported to a hospital, where he died from his injuries on 08/01/2026. Family members later disputed the characterization of the Hyundai as a stolen vehicle, stating it belonged to the mother of one of the passengers, who had allowed her daughter to use it. They stated the vehicle had been taken without permission by Barlow but had not been stolen in the sense initially reported by police. The Plymouth County District Attorney's Office continues to investigate the pursuit and crash.

https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/abington-ma-washington-street-crash/
https://www.abingtonma.gov/o/ap/article/3052735
https://www.boston25news.com/news/local/authorities-identify-17-year-old-driver-killed-stolen-suv-crash-abington/KGKGDQ2BEZFE5FHPK7EZSTBS5E/
https://www.boston25news.com/news/local/an-awesome-kid-memorial-grows-remembrance-17-year-old-killed-abington-crash/IZJODHURWNALJBYXV3CFOPCMKM/
https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/abington-car-crash-washington-street-closed/3988748/
https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2026/07/30/abington-police-officer-placed-on-leave-after-chase-of-stolen-car-ends-in-crash-that-killed-17-year-old-boy/
https://www.boston25news.com/news/local/second-victim-dies-after-police-chase-deadly-crash-abington/K3ZOCE2JWNC5HE7TBVIXGUGJSQ/

On 07/29/2026 at approximately 7:47 a.m., an Abington Police Department officer observed a red 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe that had been reported stolen from Brockton at approximately 3:25 a.m. on 07/28/2026. The officer checked the SUV’s registration, confirmed that it had been reported stolen and attempted to stop it on Walnut Street. Seventeen-year-old Jonathan R. Barlow continued driving away while the officer pursued.
He drove from Walnut Street onto Centre Avenue and then Washington Street. Police Chief John Bonney said the Hyundai was traveling at a high rate of speed. The pursuit covered less than one mile and lasted several minutes. The pursuing officer reported the pursuit by radio, activated the police vehicle’s emergency lights and siren and continued behind the Hyundai toward Washington Street.
Surveillance video showed the Hyundai travel through a red traffic signal before leaving the roadway and striking a tree near 877 Washington Street shortly after passing Central Street. The police cruiser remained directly behind the Hyundai but did not collide with it. After the crash, the officer immediately requested multiple ambulances.
Jonathan R. Barlow was pinned inside the wrecked Hyundai and died at the scene. Four passengers between 14 and 17 years old were seriously injured. A female passenger was ejected from the SUV. The other passengers, two males and one female, sustained life-threatening injuries. Emergency personnel transported them to area hospitals, and several were subsequently transferred to Boston hospitals for continued treatment.
Chief Bonney said investigators had not established that Hamilton stole the Hyundai and confirmed only that he was driving it after it had been reported stolen. Police had not determined where the teenagers were going or how they obtained the vehicle.
The pursuing officer had worked for the Abington Police Department for less than two years. The department placed him on administrative leave following the fatal pursuit. Bonney characterized the leave as an investigative and welfare measure rather than disciplinary action. The Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office, Abington Police Department and Massachusetts State Police are investigating the pursuit, the officer’s actions and the fatal crash.

https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/abington-ma-washington-street-crash/
https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/abington-ma-washington-street-crash/
https://www.abingtonma.gov/o/ap/article/3052735
https://www.boston25news.com/news/local/authorities-identify-17-year-old-driver-killed-stolen-suv-crash-abington/KGKGDQ2BEZFE5FHPK7EZSTBS5E/
https://www.boston25news.com/news/local/an-awesome-kid-memorial-grows-remembrance-17-year-old-killed-abington-crash/IZJODHURWNALJBYXV3CFOPCMKM/
https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/abington-car-crash-washington-street-closed/3988748/
https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2026/07/30/abington-police-officer-placed-on-leave-after-chase-of-stolen-car-ends-in-crash-that-killed-17-year-old-boy/

On 07/27/2026, officers with the Riverside Police Department attempted to stop a vehicle for a vehicle code violation near Kaiser Permanente Riverside Medical Center. As officers approached the stopped vehicle, the driver accelerated away. Officers began pursuing the vehicle. Seconds later, the driver struck pedestrian Peter Mullis as he was walking near the medical center after returning from lunch. Mullis, a 42-year-old radiographer in Kaiser Permanente's Orthopedics Department, was transported into the hospital where he was pronounced dead. The driver fled the scene but was arrested the following day. Police identified the driver as Gene Amos Cunningham, 62, who was booked on suspicion of murder and felony hit-and-run resulting in death. Authorities said Cunningham was on parole and had outstanding felony warrants at the time of the incident.

https://www.dailybulletin.com/2026/07/27/police-chase-of-fleeing-criver-ends-in-crash-that-kills-kaiser-employee-outside-riverside-medical-center/
https://abc7.com/post/riverside-kaiser-permanente-hospital-employee-killed-hit-run-suspect-flees-police/19587591/
https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/riverside-police-pursuit-kaiser-permanente-employee-killed-riverside-medical-center/

On 07/26/2026, Chicago police responded to a report that someone traveling in a pickup truck had pointed a firearm at another person. Officers located a truck matching the caller’s description and attempted a traffic stop, but the driver continued driving away. Chicago police quickly terminated that pursuit. Illinois State Police later located the same truck in the 5500 block of South Cicero Avenue. The driver initially stopped but then continued driving away, and state police requested assistance from Chicago police. At approximately 2:16 a.m., the truck left the roadway at high speed in the 6900 block of South Cicero Avenue, fell from the bridge above the railroad yard, and struck a stationary railroad boxcar. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. Two men and two women were ultimately killed in the crash. Authorities had not released their identities or ages at the time of reporting.

https://wgntv.com/news/chicagocrime/3-dead-1-injured-after-speeding-vehicle-crashes-into-train-car-while-fleeing-police-in-bedford-park-authorities-say/
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/woman-2-men-killed-car-hits-train-chicago-southwest-side/

On 07/26/2026, Chicago police responded to a report that someone traveling in a pickup truck had pointed a firearm at another person. Officers located a truck matching the caller’s description and attempted a traffic stop, but the driver continued driving away. Chicago police quickly terminated that pursuit. Illinois State Police later located the same truck in the 5500 block of South Cicero Avenue. The driver initially stopped but then continued driving away, and state police requested assistance from Chicago police. At approximately 2:16 a.m., the truck left the roadway at high speed in the 6900 block of South Cicero Avenue, fell from the bridge above the railroad yard, and struck a stationary railroad boxcar. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. Two men and two women were ultimately killed in the crash. Authorities had not released their identities or ages at the time of reporting.

https://wgntv.com/news/chicagocrime/3-dead-1-injured-after-speeding-vehicle-crashes-into-train-car-while-fleeing-police-in-bedford-park-authorities-say/
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/woman-2-men-killed-car-hits-train-chicago-southwest-side/

On 07/26/2026, Chicago police responded to a report that someone traveling in a pickup truck had pointed a firearm at another person. Officers located a truck matching the caller’s description and attempted a traffic stop, but the driver continued driving away. Chicago police quickly terminated that pursuit. Illinois State Police later located the same truck in the 5500 block of South Cicero Avenue. The driver initially stopped but then continued driving away, and state police requested assistance from Chicago police. At approximately 2:16 a.m., the truck left the roadway at high speed in the 6900 block of South Cicero Avenue, fell from the bridge above the railroad yard, and struck a stationary railroad boxcar. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. Two men and two women were ultimately killed in the crash. Authorities had not released their identities or ages at the time of reporting.

https://wgntv.com/news/chicagocrime/3-dead-1-injured-after-speeding-vehicle-crashes-into-train-car-while-fleeing-police-in-bedford-park-authorities-say/
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/woman-2-men-killed-car-hits-train-chicago-southwest-side/

On 07/26/2026, Chicago police responded to a report that someone traveling in a pickup truck had pointed a firearm at another person. Officers located a truck matching the caller’s description and attempted a traffic stop, but the driver continued driving away. Chicago police quickly terminated that pursuit. Illinois State Police later located the same truck in the 5500 block of South Cicero Avenue. The driver initially stopped but then continued driving away, and state police requested assistance from Chicago police. At approximately 2:16 a.m., the truck left the roadway at high speed in the 6900 block of South Cicero Avenue, fell from the bridge above the railroad yard, and struck a stationary railroad boxcar. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. Two men and two women were ultimately killed in the crash. Authorities had not released their identities or ages at the time of reporting.

https://wgntv.com/news/chicagocrime/3-dead-1-injured-after-speeding-vehicle-crashes-into-train-car-while-fleeing-police-in-bedford-park-authorities-say/
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/woman-2-men-killed-car-hits-train-chicago-southwest-side/

On 07/26/2026 at approximately 3:45 a.m., a Florida Highway Patrol trooper observed a Chevrolet Traverse traveling 74 mph in a posted 45 mph zone on State Road 54 near New Port Richey. The trooper attempted a traffic stop, but the 15-year-old driver continued driving away while the trooper pursued. During the pursuit, the Chevrolet reached speeds of approximately 115 mph.
Near State Road 54 east of Old County Road 54, the trooper performed a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver. The Chevrolet rotated onto the south shoulder, where it struck a utility pole and then a tree.
The vehicle was occupied by the 15-year-old driver and a 15-year-old male passenger, both from New Port Richey. Neither occupant was wearing a seat belt. Troopers reported alcoholic beverages were found inside the vehicle. Both teenagers sustained serious injuries and were transported to a local hospital. The passenger later died from his injuries.
The 15-year-old driver remained hospitalized with serious injuries. The Florida Highway Patrol stated criminal charges are expected against the driver upon completion of the investigation.

https://www.fox13news.com/news/15-year-old-driver-hospitalized-passenger-dead-after-chase-ends-pit-maneuver-fhp
https://www.mysuncoast.com/2026/07/26/teen-passenger-dies-after-high-speed-chase-ends-crash-pasco-county/

On 07/24/2026, an Albuquerque Police Department officer was responding to a tactical activation to assist detectives attempting to arrest a suspect in an unrelated criminal investigation in Albuquerque. While traveling on New Mexico State Road 47 near Isleta Lakes Road on Isleta Pueblo, the officer's patrol vehicle was involved in a collision with another vehicle.
The driver of the other vehicle sustained fatal injuries and died at the scene. The Albuquerque police officer was not injured. Authorities have not publicly identified the deceased driver.
APD Communications Director Gilbert Gallegos stated the officer was responding to assist the Investigative Support Unit and that the incident had not yet become a full SWAT callout, although the responding officer was assigned to the Tactical Unit.
New Mexico State Police assumed responsibility for investigating the fatal collision. As of the latest available information, investigators have not released the identity of the deceased driver, the name of the involved officer, whether the patrol vehicle was operating with emergency lights and siren activated, vehicle speeds, fault determinations, or whether any charges are anticipated.

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/apd-officer-involved-in-deadly-crash-on-isleta-pueblo/

On 07/23/2026 at approximately 9:30 p.m., Houston Police Department officers responded to an Old Navy store in the 5000 block of Westheimer Road after receiving a report that four females had stolen merchandise and left in a dark Chevrolet Tahoe. Officers located the SUV near South Rice Avenue and Westpark Drive and attempted a traffic stop. The driver continued driving away while officers pursued. Police also tracked the vehicle using a GPS tracking device concealed within the stolen merchandise.
The pursuit continued onto U.S. 59 (Interstate 69), where the Tahoe collided with another vehicle near the State Highway 288 interchange. The SUV came to a stop, and all four occupants fled on foot across the freeway.
After crossing the northbound lanes, the group attempted to cross the southbound lanes of U.S. 59. A 15-year-old girl was struck by passing traffic and died at the scene.
Houston police arrested Deandra Mercedes Cooke, 30, who was charged with evading arrest on foot. A surviving 16-year-old juvenile was referred to the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department on an evading charge. The investigation remains ongoing.

https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2026/07/24/2-women-hit-killed-crossing-us-59-after-houston-police-chase-tied-to-old-navy-shoplifting/

On 07/23/2026 at approximately 9:30 p.m., Houston Police Department officers responded to an Old Navy store in the 5000 block of Westheimer Road after receiving a report that four females had stolen merchandise and left in a dark Chevrolet Tahoe. Officers located the SUV near South Rice Avenue and Westpark Drive and attempted a traffic stop. The driver continued driving away while officers pursued. Police also tracked the vehicle using a GPS tracking device concealed within the stolen merchandise.
The pursuit continued onto U.S. 59 (Interstate 69), where the Tahoe collided with another vehicle near the State Highway 288 interchange. The SUV came to a stop, and all four occupants fled on foot across the freeway.
After crossing the northbound lanes, the group attempted to cross the southbound lanes of U.S. 59. A 15-year-old girl was struck by passing traffic and died at the scene.
Houston police arrested Deandra Mercedes Cooke, 30, who was charged with evading arrest on foot. A surviving 16-year-old juvenile was referred to the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department on an evading charge. The investigation remains ongoing.

https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2026/07/24/2-women-hit-killed-crossing-us-59-after-houston-police-chase-tied-to-old-navy-shoplifting/

https://capcity.news/crime/2026/08/03/colorado-driver-kills-passenger-in-dui-chase-crash-south-of-cheyenne-while-on-probation/
https://cowboystatedaily.com/2026/07/30/colorado-man-charged-with-vehicular-homicide-in-death-of-passenger-at-100-mph/

On 07/22/2026 at approximately 1:00 a.m., a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper attempted to stop the driver of a white Chevrolet Trax for reckless driving. The driver continued driving away while the trooper pursued through Kansas City. The pursuit entered the area of East 18th Street and Prospect Avenue, where the fleeing vehicle struck John Thompson Sr. as he crossed the street in a marked crosswalk.
The driver did not stop after striking Thompson and continued eastbound. One trooper immediately stopped to render aid to Thompson while another continued after the fleeing vehicle. The pursuing trooper later lost sight of the Chevrolet. Thompson died at the scene from his injuries.
At approximately 2:10 a.m., Kansas City Police Department officers located the abandoned Chevrolet Trax near Ruskin Way and Greenwood Road. The investigation determined the vehicle had been abandoned after the collision. Kansas City Police assumed the homicide investigation while the Missouri State Highway Patrol initiated an internal review of the pursuit.
Kansas City Police later identified the decedent as John Thompson Sr. Family members described him as a husband, father, grandfather, and longtime Kansas City resident who was walking home when he was struck. Investigators continued searching for the driver responsible for the fatal collision. Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Justin Ewing stated the pursuit had been initiated because of concerns that the driver's reckless behavior posed an immediate danger to the public.

https://fox4kc.com/news/pedestrian-killed-by-driver-during-police-chase-in-kansas-city/
https://www.kctv5.com/2026/07/22/hit-and-run-driver-kills-pedestrian-mid-chase-kansas-city/
https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/pedestrian-struck-and-killed-by-driver-fleeing-missouri-state-highway-patrol

On 07/20/2026, Clyde Haynes was traveling in a wheelchair along the Interstate 16 exit ramp to Spring Street in Macon when he was struck by a Bibb County Sheriff's Office patrol vehicle traveling in the same direction. Haynes suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. The Georgia State Patrol is investigating the collision. Family members and community residents later held a memorial at the site and described Haynes as a familiar and well-liked member of the neighborhood who regularly traveled through the area in his wheelchair.

https://www.13wmaz.com/article/news/local/macon/man-in-wheelchair-killed-by-bibb-county-deputy-cruiser-in-east-macon/93-889a8fb8-0579-46ad-9cf2-fe17ce078ca2
https://wgxa.tv/news/local/pedestrian-in-wheelchair-hit-and-killed-along-spring-street-in-macon
https://www.13wmaz.com/article/news/local/community-remembers-man-hit-and-killed-by-deputys-cruiser-in-east-macon/93-e9144750-0490-4fa9-a8be-89b2aa06c72c

On 07/18/2026, Sulphur Police Department officers attempted to stop a Mercedes in Sulphur, Louisiana. The driver continued driving away while police pursued, reaching speeds exceeding 130 mph on Interstate 10 into Texas. The vehicle crossed into Orange, left the roadway, crashed through a guardrail, and entered Adams Bayou. Caden David Whittington, the passenger, and the driver died at the scene. The investigation is being conducted by the Orange Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

https://orangeleader.com/2026/07/17/2-dead-following-high-speed-chase/?fbclid=IwY2xjawTI2_xleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFBU3lRUWhucG5UcDAzejhKc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHvNAfc-VCNI9O4dxGlasmkV2zTS8By_qYyYWyAdirDx6Vhw-JdowSYLz04_R_aem_LXzJ0-HcxuDjJ26UajzAFQ

On 07/18/2026, Sulphur Police Department officers attempted to stop a Mercedes in Sulphur, Louisiana. The driver continued driving away while police pursued, reaching speeds exceeding 130 mph on Interstate 10 into Texas. The vehicle crossed into Orange, left the roadway, crashed through a guardrail, and entered Adams Bayou. David John Davis, the driver, and his passenger died at the scene. The investigation is being conducted by the Orange Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

https://orangeleader.com/2026/07/17/2-dead-following-high-speed-chase/?fbclid=IwY2xjawTI2_xleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFBU3lRUWhucG5UcDAzejhKc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHvNAfc-VCNI9O4dxGlasmkV2zTS8By_qYyYWyAdirDx6Vhw-JdowSYLz04_R_aem_LXzJ0-HcxuDjJ26UajzAFQ

On 07/17/2026, Tennessee Highway Patrol attempted to stop Devin King. King continued driving away while troopers pursued. During the pursuit, King crossed into the southbound lanes of Maynardville Highway near the Knox–Union County line and struck an oncoming vehicle head-on. King died at the scene. The other vehicle carried two occupants; the passenger was killed and the driver sustained serious injuries. Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.

https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/knoxville/two-killed-fatal-knox-county-crash-thp-pursuit-agency-withholds-chase-policy/51-bdc25940-4bfd-4eba-bcc4-301425816ace
https://www.wvlt.tv/2026/07/17/maynardville-highway-closed-investigation-after-deadly-crash-rural-metro-says/

On 07/17/2026, Tennessee Highway Patrol attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Devin King. King continued driving away while troopers pursued. During the pursuit, King's vehicle crossed into the southbound lanes of Maynardville Highway near the Knox–Union County line and collided head-on with an oncoming vehicle. Theresa Black, a passenger in the struck vehicle, died from her injuries. The driver of the vehicle sustained serious injuries and was transported to a hospital. Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.

https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/knoxville/two-killed-fatal-knox-county-crash-thp-pursuit-agency-withholds-chase-policy/51-bdc25940-4bfd-4eba-bcc4-301425816ace
https://www.wvlt.tv/2026/07/17/maynardville-highway-closed-investigation-after-deadly-crash-rural-metro-says/

On 07/16/2026, Douglas County Sheriff's Office deputies attempted to stop a motorcycle. The rider continued riding away while police pursued. The pursuit was discontinued approximately 10 to 15 minutes before the crash. Shortly before the collision, the Roseburg Police Department observed the motorcycle traveling northbound on West Lookingglass Road at a high rate of speed. The preliminary Oregon State Police investigation determined that 25-year-old Jackie Pearson Paul Willis lost control of the motorcycle while lane splitting at an extremely high rate of speed, causing it to crash in the roadway. Willis was transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Oregon State Police are investigating the crash.

https://kqennewsradio.com/2026/07/18/roseburg-man-dies-in-motorcycle-crash-following-police-chase/
https://kqennewsradio.com/2026/07/18/roseburg-man-dies-in-motorcycle-crash-following-earlier-police-chase/

On 07/14/2026 at approximately 4:21 a.m., a Vallejo Police Department patrol officer observed a motorcycle traveling at a high rate of speed and driving recklessly near the intersection of Sonoma Boulevard and Tennessee Street. The officer attempted a traffic stop, but the rider, later identified as Marcus Kutterer, 43, continued riding away while the officer pursued with emergency lights and siren activated.
According to the Vallejo Police Department, the pursuit lasted less than one minute before the officer reported terminating it because of the motorcycle's excessive speed and increasing distance from the patrol vehicle. Approximately three minutes later, officers were dispatched to a traffic collision in the 2100 block of Sacramento Street, where they found Kutterer trapped beneath an unoccupied parked vehicle after his motorcycle struck it. Vallejo Fire Department personnel used specialized lifting equipment to free him, but he died at the scene.
Subsequent reporting identified the decedent as Marcus Kutterer, 43, of Fairfield. Surveillance video later obtained by the Vallejo Sun showed the pursuing patrol vehicle continuing past the crash scene with lights and siren activated immediately after the collision rather than stopping. Dispatch recordings released by the outlet also indicated the pursuing officer radioed that the motorcycle had continued toward Valle Vista Avenue, even though the surveillance video indicates the crash had already occurred before that transmission. The video prompted Kutterer's family to publicly question the official account of the pursuit and the officer's actions immediately after the collision.
Kutterer's family held a candlelight vigil at the crash site and publicly called for accountability. His daughter, Ariana Ramirez-Kutterer, questioned why the officer did not stop after the collision despite passing the crash scene. His son, Marcus Daniel Kutterer Jr., also challenged the department's account that the pursuit had ended before the collision. The family consulted civil rights attorney Melissa Nold, who publicly questioned the necessity of initiating a pursuit over the reported driving violations.
The Vallejo Police Department Traffic Division continues to investigate the collision. Officer Brad Kim was identified as the traffic investigator assigned to the crash investigation. As of the latest available reporting, no findings regarding the officer's conduct or the pursuit have been publicly released.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/vallejo-chase-motorcyclist-dies-22347229.php
https://www.sfgate.com/news/bayarea/article/vallejo-police-investigate-fatal-motorcycle-crash-22347258.php