Death by Cop 2021-2025
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Maria Tambunga 1 of 4
Age :65
Gender :Female
Race : Latino/a/e
Date : 03/13/2023
Location : State Hwy163+E service road of FL-10
City : Ozona
County : Crockett
State : Texas
Agency : Texas DPS
Officer(s) : Not Disclosed
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Third party killed by police chase crash
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On Mar. 13, 2023, Crockett County Sheriff's Office had attempted to stop a truck for speeding and escalated a chase that lasted until the truck being chased crashed into 2019 Dodge Ram 1500 of Maria Taubunga and her granddaughter Emilia Tambunga. They both died. Two other people died in the crash who were reportedly undocumented migrants, 45-year-old male from Jalpan De Serra, QRO Mexico and a 42-year-old male from San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec, OAK Mexico, both unnamed by DPS. This police chase for a speeding vehicle was responsible for the deaths of 4 people.
SOURCE LINKS :
Emilia Tambunga 2 of 4
Age :7
Gender :Female
Race : Latino/a/e
Date : 03/13/2023
Location : State Hwy163 + E service road of fI-10
City : Ozona
County : Crockett
State : Texas
Agency : Texas DPS
Officer(s) : Not Disclosed
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Killed by police chase
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On Mar. 13, 2023, Crockett County Sheriff's Office had attempted to stop a truck for speeding and escalated a chase that lasted until the truck being chased crashed into 2019 Dodge Ram 1500 of Maria Taubunga and her granddaughter Emilia Tambunga. They both died. Two other people died in the crash who were reportedly undocumented migrants, 45-year-old male from Jalpan De Serra, QRO Mexico and a 42-year-old male from San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec, OAK Mexico, both unnamed by DPS. This police chase for a speeding vehicle was responsible for the deaths of 4 people.
SOURCE LINKS :
Name Not Disclosed 3 of 4
Age :45
Gender :Male
Race : Latino/a/e
Date : 03/13/2023
Location : State Hwy163 + E service road of fI-10
City : Ozona
County : Crockett
State : Texas
Agency : Texas DPS
Officer(s) : Not Disclosed
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Killed by police chase
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On Mar. 13, 2023, Crockett County Sheriff's Office had attempted to stop a truck for speeding and escalated a chase that lasted until the truck being chased crashed into 2019 Dodge Ram 1500 of Maria Taubunga and her granddaughter Emilia Tambunga. They both died. Two other people died in the crash who were reportedly undocumented migrants, 45-year-old male from Jalpan De Serra, QRO Mexico and a 42-year-old male from San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec, OAK Mexico, both unnamed by DPS. This police chase for a speeding vehicle was responsible for the deaths of 4 people.
SOURCE LINKS :
Name Not Disclosed 4 of 4
Age :42
Gender :Male
Race : Latino/a/e
Date : 03/13/2023
Location : State Hwy163 + E service road of fI-10
City : Ozona
County : Crockett
State : Texas
Agency : Texas DPS
Officer(s) : Not Disclosed
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Killed by police chase
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On Mar. 13, 2023, Crockett County Sheriff's Office had attempted to stop a truck for speeding and escalated a chase that lasted until the truck being chased crashed into 2019 Dodge Ram 1500 of Maria Taubunga and her granddaughter Emilia Tambunga. They both died. Two other people died in the crash who were reportedly undocumented migrants, 45-year-old male from Jalpan De Serra, QRO Mexico and a 42-year-old male from San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec, OAK Mexico, both unnamed by DPS. This police chase for a speeding vehicle was responsible for the deaths of 4 people.
SOURCE LINKS :
Alex Eugene May Jr.
Age :19
Gender :Male
Race : White
Date : 03/13/2023
Location : Shadeland Ave+46th
City : Indianapolis
County : Marion
State : Indiana
Agency : Lawrence PD
Officer(s) : Not Disclosed
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Killed during police chase
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
Lawrence PD tried a traffic stop for a license plate impropriety but Alex Eugene May Jr. kept driving. Police escalated a chase and the teenager crashed and died.
SOURCE LINKS :
Ryan Mitchell
Age :22
Gender :Male
Race : White
Date : 03/12/2023
Location : KY 3056
City : Germantown
County : Mason
State : Kentucky
Agency : Brown County SO
Officer(s) : Caleb Savage
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Killed by police chase crash during unauthorized pursuit
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
Kentucky Brown County deputy Caleb Savage attempted a traffic stop on Ryan Mitchell on March 12, 2023 in Ohio. He chased Mitchell into Kentucky until the chase caused Mitchell to crash. Officer Savage fled the scene and left Mitchell to die alone. Charges against the officer are being considered.
SOURCE LINKS :
Victor Remone Duncan
Age :56
Gender :Male
Race : Black
Date : 03/09/2023
Location : N Arcadian Throughway + Fairfields Ave
City : Baton Rouge
County : Baton Rouge
State : Louisiana
Agency : Baton Rouge PD
Officer(s) : Not Disclosed
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Third party motorist killed by police chase crash
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
Victor Remone Duncan was killed after a car being chased at high speed by police slammed into his truck at an intersection at N Arcadian Thoroughway and Fairfield Avenue by Baton Rouge PD.
The car being chased had committed traffic violations which were the only the reason for the dangerous chase.
SOURCE LINKS :
https://www.wafb.com/2023/03/09/police-chase-leads-deadly-car-crash/
Alfredo Panduro Zendejas
Age :44
Gender :Male
Race : Latino/a/e
Date : 03/08/2023
Location : County 15th St+Ave 3E
City : Phoenix
County : Maricopa
State : Arizona
Agency : Yuma County SO, DPS, Somerton PD, CBP, US Marshals
Officer(s) : Not Disclosed
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Killed by police chase crash after carjacking
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
A 44-year-old man had allegedly carjacked three vehicles in Yuma during a multi-agency hunt and collided with a semi-truck in an intersection and died.Large numbers of vehicles from the Somerton Police Department, Department of Public Safety, Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Patrol Air and Marine Operations, U.S. Border Patrol and U.S. Marshals Service participated in the manhunt.
SOURCE LINKS :
Daniel Clark
Age :73
Gender :Male
Race : White
Date : 03/06/2023
Location : St. Luke’s Rd+ Route 13 bypass
City : Fruitland
County : Wicomico
State : Maryland
Agency : Maryland State Police
Officer(s) : Kevin Moore
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Killed in crash with state trooper
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
Maryland State Police on March 6, tried to remove a disabled car from a median. Corporal Kevin Moore, who was on-duty and driving his agency-issued marked Ram truck to the scene, for reasons police could not explain, in the process hit Clark who was driving a 2006 Honda Ridgeline. This first crash caused a chain reaction with the Ridgeline crashing into a 2007 Honda Accord afterward. MSP states that third party motorist 73-year-old Daniel Clark who had been hit by the trooper was taken to the hospital where he died 9 days later from injuries.
SOURCE LINKS :
https://www.wmdt.com/2023/03/salisbury-crash-involving-msp-trooper-under-investigation/
Dexter Wade
Age :37
Gender :Male
Race : Black
Date : 03/05/2023
Location : I-55
City : Jackson
County : Hinds
State : Mississippi
Agency : Jackson PD
Officer(s) : Unknown
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Run over by police car and secretly buried by police
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
Dexter Wade had set out on foot through the Mississippi woods with a friend on March 5, 2023 and never returned home. His family looked for him desperately, searched the woods and made reports with the police who claimed no knowledge of what happened to him. Seven months later, his mother found out that he had been hit and killed by a police car while crossing a highway less than an hour after last being seen. Police reportedly knew his identity throughout and also knew the name and contact information of his mother but instead of contacting family, police left his body in the morgue for months and finally quietly buried him in the jail’s penal farm without notifying family. His mother Betterston Wade said their family was tragically familiar with Jackson Police since they murdered her 62-year-old brother George Robinson (court case linked below). The officer was convicted of manslaughter for brutally slamming the elderly man to the floor and killing him. The officer was convicted in 2022 and is currently appealing the decision. The case erupted into race controversy between the black District Attorney and the white Attorney General who is known for protecting the status quo. When Dexter Wade first disappeared, his grandmother urged his mother not to call the police because grandma was very distrustful of Jackson Police. The mother hoped that he would be found and reported him missing with the police. By then, police had his body in the morgue and knew his identity but did not inform his family. The family asked everyone who knew Dexter. His children canvassed the neighborhood, asking who may have seen him. For months, the family called Jackson PD and was told that police knew nothing every time. Jackson PD did not explain why they handled this case this way. There is no dashcam or bodycam footage and the entire story of him having been run over by police on the I-55 rests upon the credibility of police in this case. Jackson PD had targeted the family before when Dexter’s uncle was killed. Now they withheld all information about the death of Dexter Wade from the family for 7 months while they buried him without an autopsy or family knowledge or consent, having known his identity all along. Police finally disclosed that allegedly, an off-duty police corporal had struck and killed Dexter Wade with a police SUV. The officer was not DUI-tested and was not charged or ticketed for the fatal accident. Police tested him for drugs and found some meth and prescription drugs in his system. He had a prescription bottle in his pocket that had been legally prescribed to him. The coroner claims that he obtained the name and number of Wade’s mother and left her a voicemail. The mother has no record of such a phone call. No further efforts were made to notify the family. The family posted all over Facebook, hoping to find him. Meanwhile, the coroner confirmed in his own notes that “no family or next of kin has been notified yet” and police continued stonewalling. The coroner confirmed that he had been aware for a number of weeks that the family had not been notified. Meanwhile, the family was posting messages to help find him throughout the neighborhood, the police department and social media. One day after the last call by his mother to police, Jackson PD quietly buried him. His mother now questions whether the strange concealed death of her son by police could have something to do with the death of her brother. “Maybe it was a vendetta. Maybe they buried my son to get back at me,” she wonders. She also says that the timeline police gave is not possible. The location where he was allegedly run over and killed was a longer walk from the house than he could have mastered on foot by the time police logged the accident into the system. The mother openly questions whether the police narrative is true at all or not.
SOURCE LINKS :
Uncle’s homicide by Jackson Police Department:
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/mississippi-ag-tries-overturn-jackson-police-manslaughter-conviction-rcna95364
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23883135-fitch-brief-in-fox
Timothy James Bird
Age :36
Gender :Male
Race : White
Date : 03/05/2023
Location : I-80+mile marker 24
City : Loyalsock Township
County : Lynchburg
State : Pennsylvania
Agency : Pennsylvania State Police
Officer(s) : Not Disclosed
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Killed by police chase crash
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
Timothy James Bird is believed to have been intoxicated when Pennsylvania State Police saw some erratic driving and escalated a prolonged dangerous chase for 14 miles at high speed, ending when the hunted driver, Timothy James Bird, crashed into an embankment on I-180 near the Lycoming and Northumberland County border. He died.
SOURCE LINKS :
Elias Hans Anderson
Age :44
Gender :Male
Race : White
Date : 03/04/2023
Location : E Bates Ave+Chambers Rd
City : Aurora
County : Arapahoe
State : Colorado
Agency : Aurora PD
Officer(s) : Eduardo Landeros
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Killed by speeding officer
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
Aurora PD officer Eduardo Landeros drove his police vehicle through an intersection of E. Bates Avenue and S. Chambers Road around 8:20 p.m. and crashed, rolling his police vehicle and killing bystander Elias Hans Anderson. It is not immediately known how fast officer Landeros had been driving and whether DUI testing had been performed but he was on a nonemergent call without reason for speeding. . Officer Landeros pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
SOURCE LINKS :
https://kdvr.com/news/local/driver-killed-in-crash-with-aurora-officer-identified/
Brian Anthony Finch 1 of 2
Age :65
Gender :Male
Race : White
Date : 03/03/2023
Location : Hwy 210 + Ray Rd
City : Spring Lake
County : Harnett
State : North Carolina
Agency : Harnett County SO
Officer(s) : Kevin LeTarte
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Third party motorists killed by police vehicle
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
A Harnett County Sheriff's deputy caused a two-vehicle crash Friday afternoon that left two people dead and the officer injured when his vehicle hit a third-party motorist’s car.
Just after 2 p.m. at NC Highway 210 and Ray Road in Spring Lake on 03/03/2023, Harnett deputy Kevin LeTarte crashed into a pickup truck for unclear reasons, killing both Brian and Patricia Finch. The deputy was indicted for manslaughter. It is unknown whether Officer LeTarte had been DUI-tested.
SOURCE LINKS :
https://abc11.com/harnett-county-deputy-car-crash-officer-involved-in/12910268/
https://abc11.com/harnett-county-deputy-letarte-internal-investigation/12925606/
https://abc11.com/harnett-county-deputy-car-crash-officer-involved-in/12910268/
https://abc11.com/harnett-county-deputy-kevin-letarte-couple-killed-high-speed-chase/13283180/
Patricia Lynn Finch 2 of 2
Age :64
Gender :Female
Race : White
Date : 03/03/2023
Location : Hwy 210 + Ray Rd
City : Spring Lake
County : Harnett
State : North Carolina
Agency : Harnett County SO
Officer(s) : Kevin LeTarte
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Third party motorists killed by police vehicle
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
A Harnett County Sheriff's deputy caused a two-vehicle crash Friday afternoon that left two people dead and the officer injured when his vehicle hit a third-party motorist’s car.
Just after 2 p.m. at NC Highway 210 and Ray Road in Spring Lake on 03/03/2023, Harnett deputy Kevin LeTarte crashed into a pickup truck for unclear reasons, killing both Brian and Patricia Finch. The deputy was indicted for manslaughter. It is unknown whether Officer LeTarte had been DUI-tested.
SOURCE LINKS :
https://abc11.com/harnett-county-deputy-car-crash-officer-involved-in/12910268/
https://abc11.com/harnett-county-deputy-letarte-internal-investigation/12925606/
https://abc11.com/harnett-county-deputy-car-crash-officer-involved-in/12910268/
https://abc11.com/harnett-county-deputy-kevin-letarte-couple-killed-high-speed-chase/13283180/
Brandon M. Zurkan
Age :31
Gender :Male
Race : White
Date : 03/02/2023
Location : Unknown
City : Warren
County : Ontario
State : Pennsylvania
Agency : Canandaigua Police Department
Officer(s) : Not Disclosed
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Killed by police chase crash
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
Brandon M. Zurkan, 31, was driving in the town of Canandaigua when a deputy said he saw the vehicle cross the center line twice. The officer turned on his emergency lights and siren in an attempt to stop the driver. The driver instead drove into the city, going through the front lawn of the Byrne Dairy on West Avenue. The officer alleges that Zurkan fired multiple shots from his vehicle at pursuing police as he drove on South Pearl Street, ran a red light at South Main Street, drove through a fence at City Mini Storage and hit a curb before coming to a stop. He died.
SOURCE LINKS :
Domonique Thompson
Age :32
Gender :Male
Race : Black
Date : 03/01/2023
Location :
City : Oklahoma City
County : Kingfisher
State : Oklahoma
Agency : Oklahoma City PD
Officer(s) : Not Disclosed
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Killed by police chase crash
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
Domonique Thompson had an argument at work with his supervisor at Hobby Lobby and shot and killed him, then fled from police and crashed and died as a result of the police chase crash.
SOURCE LINKS :
Herbert Muskin
Age :101
Gender :Male
Race : White
Date : 03/01/2023
Location : Unknown
City : Las Vegas
County : Clark
State : Nevada
Agency : Las Vegas Metro PD
Officer(s) : Not Disclosed
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Third party killed by police chase crash
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
A car driven by two women who took a car from an acquaintance and were chased by police until they crashed into 101-year-old Herbert Muskin, a retired WWII Army officer who was in the car with his wife of 67 years, Sherry, at the time of the crash. Muskin was driving them home from a shopping trip at Costco when according to their son, they were stopped at a red light and the police chase slammed into the back of their car.
One year after the crash, the family went to the news media, demanding justice.
SOURCE LINKS :
https://meaww.com/dr-herbert-muskin-world-war-ii-veteran-101-dies-after-car-crash-due-to-broken-neck
Calvin Tromell Johnson
Age :30
Gender :Male
Race : Black
Date : 02/28/2023
Location : Jackson Street Bridge over Bayou Lafourche
City : Thibodaux
County : Lafourche
State : Louisiana
Agency : Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana State Police
Officer(s) : Unknown
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Killed by police chase crash after being chased for broken headlight
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On the evening of 03/01/2023, law enforcement officers engaged in pursuit of a vehicle in Thibodaux, Louisiana. Police said the driver, identified as 30-year-old Calvin Johnson, exited the moving vehicle on the Jackson Street Bridge over Bayou Lafourche and entered the water below as officers attempted to stop the car. Officers did not discharge their weapons; Johnson jumped from the bridge into Bayou Lafourche in an apparent effort to evade law enforcement. Emergency responders recovered Johnson’s body from the water. He was pronounced deceased. The exact cause of death was drowning following the jump from the bridge. No law enforcement agency reported that they used force in causing Johnson’s death.
SOURCE LINKS :
Delilah Minshew
Age :8
Gender :Female
Race : White
Date : 02/28/2023
Location : Interstate 82 near Sunnyside
City : Sunnyside
County : Yakima
State : Washington
Agency : Washington State Patrol
Officer(s) : Unknown
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Bystander killed by police chase crash
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On 02/28/2023, Washington State Patrol troopers attempted multiple times to stop a speeding vehicle traveling at extreme speeds in Yakima County. Troopers reported they initiated four separate attempts to stop the driver but discontinued enforcement efforts under Washington’s pursuit restrictions. The driver later entered Interstate 82 traveling the wrong direction near Sunnyside and crashed head-on into a vehicle carrying Delilah Minshew and her siblings. The collision killed Delilah, age 8, and her 6-year-old brother. A third child and the adult driver sustained serious injuries. Court records state the fleeing driver continued driving at high speed before entering the interstate in the wrong direction. Reporting does not indicate any weapon involved in the crash.
SOURCE LINKS :
Timothy Escamilla
Age :6
Gender :Male
Race : White
Date : 02/28/2023
Location : I-82
City : Sunnyside
County : Yakima
State : Washington
Agency : Washington State Police
Officer(s) : Unknown
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Bystander killed by police chase crash
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On 02/28/2023, Washington State Patrol troopers attempted multiple times to stop a speeding vehicle traveling at extreme speeds in Yakima County. Troopers reported they initiated four separate attempts to stop the driver but discontinued enforcement efforts under Washington’s pursuit restrictions. The driver later entered Interstate 82 traveling the wrong direction near Sunnyside and crashed head-on into a vehicle carrying Timothy Escamilla and his siblings. The collision killed Timothy, age 6, and his 8-year-old sister, Delilah Minshew. A third child and the adult driver sustained serious injuries. Court records state the fleeing driver continued driving at high speed before entering the interstate in the wrong direction. Reporting does not indicate any weapon involved in the crash.
SOURCE LINKS :
Name Not Disclosed
Age :17
Gender :Male
Race : Unknown
Date : 02/27/2023
Location : 11th and Atkinson
City : Milwaukee
County : Milwaukee
State : Wisconsin
Agency : Milwaukee Police Department
Officer(s) : Unknown
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Killed by police chase after failed traffic stop
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On 02/27/2023, Milwaukee Police officers observed a vehicle near North 11th Street and West Atkinson Avenue that officers believed was stolen and possibly connected to a prior armed robbery investigation. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle. The driver did not stop, and police initiated a pursuit.
According to Milwaukee Police, the initial squad discontinued the chase due to a reported equipment issue. A second squad continued pursuing the vehicle. During the pursuit, the 17-year-old driver traveled through city streets at high speed and entered the intersection at 11th and Atkinson against a red traffic signal. The vehicle struck another car in the intersection.
The 17-year-old driver sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead. A passenger in the fleeing vehicle and the driver of the other vehicle sustained injuries and were transported for medical treatment. Milwaukee Police conducted an internal review of the pursuit.
The name of the 17-year-old driver was not publicly released in initial reporting.
SOURCE LINKS :
https://www.cbs58.com/news/mpd-investigating-pursuit-related-crash-involving-the-death-of-a-teen
Name Not Disclosed
Age :35
Gender :Male
Race : White
Date : 02/25/2023
Location : U.S. Highway 27
City : Fruitland Park
County : Lake
State : Florida
Agency : Lady Lake Police Department, Florida Highway Patrol
Officer(s) : Not Disclosed
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Driver killed by police chase crash
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On February 25, 2023, a 35-year-old man from Orlando was killed after a high-speed police chase ended in a wrong-way crash on U.S. Highway 27 in Fruitland Park. Lady Lake police attempted to stop the man following a reported theft at a Home Depot. Police escalated a chase that reached speeds over 100 miles per hour. The driver crossed the median into oncoming traffic and collided head-on with an SUV carrying three people. The driver died at the scene. The SUV driver, a 43-year-old woman, suffered serious injuries, and two teenage passengers were hospitalized with minor injuries. The Florida Highway Patrol conducted the investigation.
SOURCE LINKS :
https://www.clickorlando.com/traffic/2023/02/25/fatal-crash-closes-us-27-in-lake-county-deputies-say/
https://www.dailycommercial.com/story/news/crime/2023/02/26/man-killed-in-u-s-441-27-crash-had-been-chased-by-lady-lake-police/
https://www.insidelake.com/2023/02/26/suspect-flees-lady-lake-police-wrong-way-down-u-s-27-crashes-into-vehicle-suspect-dead-3-airlifted/
Thomas G Conyers
Age :35
Gender :Male
Race : White
Date : 02/25/2023
Location : U.S. Hwy 27
City : Fruitland Park
County : Lake
State : Florida
Agency : Lady Lake PD, Fruitland Park PD
Officer(s) : Unknown
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Killed by police chase crash for shoplifting
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
Lake PD state that theychased a vehicle into Fruitland Park around 4 p.m. because the driver of the vehicle had possibly committed a theft at Home Depot in Lady Lake. During the chase, the vehicle crossed over the center median and continued southbound in the northbound lanes U.S. Highway 27 at an estimated 110 mph. Police state that the fleeing driving driving the wrong direction on U.S. Highway 27 crashed into a northbound vehicle. Thomas Conyers, the driver of the fleeing vehicle,died and three occupants of the vehicle that he struck sustained serious injuries and were flown to a local hospital where Conyers later also died. This deadly chase was initiated because Thomas Conyers allegedly stole $240 worth of electronics at Home Depot.
SOURCE LINKS :
Name Not Disclosed
Age :40
Gender :Female
Race : Unknown
Date : 02/25/2023
Location : US-301 near Desrosier Rd
City : Dade City
County : Pasco
State : Florida
Agency : Florida Highway Patrol
Officer(s) : Unknown
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Bicyclist killed by officer who crashed into bicycle on road
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
An unnamed Florida Highway Patrol officer was driving his patrol car on US-301 near Desrosier Road when he struck and killed an unnamed female bicyclist.
SOURCE LINKS :
Jose Guzman 1 of 4
Age :20
Gender :Male
Race : Latino/a/e
Date : 02/25/2023
Location : Rio Bravo border
City : Rio Bravo
County : Webb
State : Texas
Agency : CBP Border Patrol
Officer(s) : Unknown
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Killed by CBP chase crash of vehicle carrying undocumented migrants
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
CBP officers hunted a vehicle full of migrants until the vehicle crashed, killing 4, injuring 5 people under Operation Lone Star.
SOURCE LINKS :
Name Not Disclosed 2 of 4
Age :
Gender :Not Disclosed
Race : Unknown
Date : 02/25/2023
Location : Rio Bravo border
City : Rio Bravo
County : Webb
State : Texas
Agency : CBP Border Patrol
Officer(s) : Unknown
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Killed by CBP chase crash with a vehicle carrying crash of vehicle carrying undocumented migrants
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
CBP officers hunted a vehicle full of migrants until the vehicle crashed, killing 4, injuring 5 people under Operation Lone Star.
SOURCE LINKS :
Name Not Disclosed 3 of 4
Age :
Gender :Not Disclosed
Race : Latino/a/e
Date : 02/25/2023
Location : Rio Bravo border
City : Rio Bravo
County : Webb
State : Texas
Agency : CBP Border Patrol
Officer(s) : Unknown
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Killed by CBP chase crash with vehicle carrying undocumented migrants
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
CBP officers hunted a vehicle full of migrants until the vehicle crashed, killing 4, injuring 5 people under Operation Lone Star.
SOURCE LINKS :
CBP officers hunted a vehicle full of migrants until the vehicle crashed, killing 4, injuring 5 people.
Name Not Disclosed 4 of 4
Age :
Gender :Unknown
Race : Unknown
Date : 02/25/2023
Location : Rio Bravo border
City : Rio Bravo
County : Webb
State : Texas
Agency : CBP Border Patrol
Officer(s) : Unknown
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Killed by CBP chase crash with vehicle carrying undocumented migrants
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
CBP officers hunted a vehicle full of migrants until the vehicle crashed, killing 4, injuring 5 people under Operation Lone Star.
SOURCE LINKS :
Name Not Disclosed
Age :
Gender :Unknown
Race : Unknown
Date : 02/23/2023
Location : 5th+ G Streets
City : Davis
County : Yolo
State : California
Agency : UC Davis PD
Officer(s) : Unknown
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Killed by police chase crash for stolen car
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
Davis PD chased a stolen car until it crashed in the area of 5th and G Streets and caught fire. An unnamed person died.
SOURCE LINKS :
https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/traffic-fatality-city-davis
https://www.kcra.com/article/davis-person-dead-after-crashing-car-police/43064948
Brian Russell Frey
Age :53
Gender :Male
Race : White
Date : 02/22/2023
Location : Maple Island Road and Hall
City : Muskegon County
County : Muskegon
State : Michigan
Agency : Muskegon County Sheriff's Office
Officer(s) : Unknown
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Third party motorist killed by police chase crash
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
Muskegon County deputies were chasing another vehicle when it hit the car of Brian Russell, a 53-year-old third party motorist, killing him. The female driver who had been fleeing was allegedly intoxicated and speed was escalated by the police chase.
SOURCE LINKS :
Sabeh Alalkawi
Age :30
Gender :Male
Race : Middle Eastern
Date : 02/22/2023
Location : Hoosick+15thSt
City : Troy
County : Renssalaer
State : New York
Agency : Troy PD
Officer(s) : Justin Bynes
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Third party motorist killed by police speeding to domestic disturbance call
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
Sabeh Alalkawi was a pizza delivery driver and young father of twins who was on the road when officer Justin Bynes of Troy PD slammed into his vehicle, killing him. The officer was on the way to a domestic disturbance. It is questioned by the family whether speeding was justified. The officer was not charged.
SOURCE LINKS :
https://wnyt.com/top-stories/man-killed-in-crash-with-troy-police-officer/
Brian Dexter Pruitt
Age :41
Gender :Male
Race : White
Date : 02/22/2023
Location : S. Riverside Drive
City : Tulsa
County : Ada
State : Oklahoma
Agency : Lighthorse PD
Officer(s) : Unknown
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Killed during police chase crash
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
Tulsa Police and Lighthorse Police chased a motorcycle for speeding until the driver crashed on Peoria just before 58th going southbound. Brian Dexter Pruitt died and another person was injured from the crash resulting from the police chase for a moving violation.
SOURCE LINKS :
Name Not Disclosed
Age :70
Gender :Male
Race : Unknown
Date : 02/21/2023
Location : University Blvd+Hampden Ave
City : Denver
County : Denver
State : Colorado
Agency : Denver PD
Officer(s) : Unnamed off-duty lieutenant
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Off-duty lieutenant ran over and killed pedestrian
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
An off-duty Denver police lieutenant was driving an unmarked cruiser on Feb. 21 near the intersection of University Boulevard and Hampden Avenue when he hit and killed an elderly man walking near the crossing. The lieutenant is a veteran of the Denver PD who has not been publicly identified. The pedestrian’s name has also not been released. It is not known why the officer crashed into the pedestrian. He had been off-duty and it is not known whether he was DUI-tested after the fatal crash.
SOURCE LINKS :
https://www.kktv.com/2023/03/01/denver-police-officer-involved-deadly-crash-while-off-duty/
https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/denver-police-lieutenant-deadly-auto-pedestrian-crash/
Jackari Taylor
Age :18
Gender :Male
Race : Black
Date : 02/20/2023
Location : I-80 and Suisun Valley Road
City : Fairfield
County : Solano
State : California
Agency : California Highway Patrol
Officer(s) : Unknown
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Driver killed by police chase crash
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On 02/22/2023, California Highway Patrol officers tried to stop a white Hyundai traveling eastbound on I-80 east of American Canyon Road after it was reported stolen in connection with a Vallejo carjacking the night before. Police escalated a chase and the Hyundai exited at Suisun Valley Road at a high rate of speed, then rolled over on the off ramp in a solo crash. Jackari Taylor, 18, of Vallejo was identified by the Solano County District Attorney as the driver and he died at the scene. In the days after the crash, the district attorney tied the vehicle’s occupants to a larger sequence of reported events that began with a Fairfield shooting where the victim said he met up with the teen girl who later died in the crash and believed he was being set up, then said two masked males shot him in the back, leaving him paralyzed. The district attorney also said guns were recovered in the crash wreckage and released images of firearms while describing the case as a major public interest incident.
SOURCE LINKS :
https://www.ktvu.com/news/solano-county-d-a-has-new-details-on-fatal-crash-in-stolen-car-that-killed-minors-following-chp-chase
https://www.kcra.com/article/3-people-killed-chase-ends-rollover-crash-near-fairfield-chp/43022885
https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/three-die-in-solano-county-high-speed-pursuit-crash/
https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/north-bay/fatal-rollover-crash-in-fairfield/3163379/
https://sfist.com/2023/03/02/more-details-emerge-on-fatal-high-speed-fairfield-crash-teen-victims-had-allegedly-been-on-crime-spree/
“JW”
Age :17
Gender :Male
Race : Black
Date : 02/20/2023
Location : I-80 and Suisun Valley Road
City : Fairfield
County : Solano
State : California
Agency : California Highway Patrol
Officer(s) : Unknown
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Passenger killed by police chase crash
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On 02/22/2023, California Highway Patrol officers tried to stop a white Hyundai on eastbound I-80 east of American Canyon Road after it was reported stolen in connection with a Vallejo carjacking the night before. Police escalated a chase and the Hyundai exited at Suisun Valley Road at a high rate of speed, then rolled over on the off ramp in a solo crash. The Solano County District Attorney later said the driver was 18 year old Jackari Taylor of Vallejo and said a male minor passenger died at the scene. After the crash, the district attorney publicly connected the crash occupants to reported events earlier that night in Fairfield involving a shooting victim who said he met up with the teen girl who later died in the crash, said he believed he was being set up, and said two masked males shot him in the back, leaving him paralyzed. The district attorney also said firearms were recovered from the crash wreckage and released images while describing the investigation as a high public interest case.
SOURCE LINKS :
https://www.ktvu.com/news/solano-county-d-a-has-new-details-on-fatal-crash-in-stolen-car-that-killed-minors-following-chp-chase
https://www.kcra.com/article/3-people-killed-chase-ends-rollover-crash-near-fairfield-chp/43022885
https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/three-die-in-solano-county-high-speed-pursuit-crash/
https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/north-bay/fatal-rollover-crash-in-fairfield/3163379/
https://sfist.com/2023/03/02/more-details-emerge-on-fatal-high-speed-fairfield-crash-teen-victims-had-allegedly-been-on-crime-spree/
“JD”
Age :16
Gender :Female
Race : Black
Date : 02/20/2023
Location : I-80 and Suisun Valley Road
City : Fairfield
County : Solano
State : California
Agency : California Highway Patrol
Officer(s) : Unknown
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Vehicle Event: 3 teens killed by police chase after theft and carjacking
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
n 02/22/2023, California Highway Patrol officers tried to stop a white Hyundai on eastbound I-80 east of American Canyon Road after it was reported stolen in connection with a Vallejo carjacking the night before. Police escalated a chase and the Hyundai exited at Suisun Valley Road at a high rate of speed, then rolled over on the off ramp in a solo crash. The Solano County District Attorney later said the driver was 18 year old Jackari Taylor of Vallejo and said a teen girl passenger died after the crash while being transported from the scene. In its public update, the district attorney described a wider timeline that started with a Fairfield shooting where the victim said he met up with the teen girl who later died in the crash, said he believed he was being set up, and said two masked males shot him in the back, leaving him paralyzed. The district attorney also said firearms were recovered from the crash wreckage and released images while describing the case as a high public interest incident tied to multiple reported crimes leading into the pursuit.
SOURCE LINKS :
https://www.ktvu.com/news/solano-county-d-a-has-new-details-on-fatal-crash-in-stolen-car-that-killed-minors-following-chp-chase
https://www.kcra.com/article/3-people-killed-chase-ends-rollover-crash-near-fairfield-chp/43022885
https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/three-die-in-solano-county-high-speed-pursuit-crash/
https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/north-bay/fatal-rollover-crash-in-fairfield/3163379/
https://sfist.com/2023/03/02/more-details-emerge-on-fatal-high-speed-fairfield-crash-teen-victims-had-allegedly-been-on-crime-spree/
Brent Allen Thompson
Age :28
Gender :Male
Race : White
Date : 02/19/2023
Location : Interstate 25 near Mountain Vista Drive exit
City : Fort Collins
County : Larimer
State : Colorado
Agency : Larimer County Sheriff’s Office
Officer(s) : Lorenzo Lujan
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Killed by vehicle after being tasered during traffic stop
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On 02/19/2023, a Larimer County Sheriff’s deputy conducted a traffic stop along Interstate 25 near the Mountain Vista Drive exit after observing a vehicle with expired registration. Deputy Lorenzo Lujan approached Brent Allen Thompson during the roadside stop. Authorities reported Thompson provided a false name during the interaction and then suddenly ran from the shoulder area on foot toward the interstate corridor. Deputy Lujan chased him on foot and deployed a Taser during the pursuit as Thompson ran adjacent to and then toward active traffic lanes. After the Taser deployment, Thompson continued moving and entered the interstate where he was struck by an oncoming vehicle and died at the scene from collision-related injuries.
***
Armed status and reason for flight: Investigative reporting and official statements did not indicate that Brent Allen Thompson was armed with any firearm or weapon during the encounter. No weapon recovery was reported at the scene. The stop originated from expired vehicle registration rather than a violent offense. Public reporting did not confirm the presence of any active violent warrants at the time of the stop, and no reporting established a clear, documented motive for why he ran from deputies. Available records indicate he gave a false name before fleeing, but no confirmed violent warrants or immediate criminal threat were identified as the basis for the stop. No definitive reason for his flight was established in investigative summaries, and the available narrative centers on sudden flight during a minor traffic stop rather than an attempt to evade arrest for a serious offense.
***
Incident reconstruction and sequence: Investigators determined the encounter escalated rapidly from a low-level traffic stop into a foot pursuit within seconds along a high-speed interstate environment. Body camera and investigative summaries indicated Thompson ran along the roadway edge during the chase. Deputy Lujan deployed a Taser while pursuing him on foot near active traffic lanes rather than during a stationary arrest situation. Following the Taser deployment, Thompson did not immediately collapse and instead continued forward movement into the interstate lanes where he was struck by a passing vehicle traveling at highway speed. Emergency responders arrived quickly, but he was pronounced dead at the scene due to the severity of impact injuries.
***
Forensic and medical findings: The Larimer County Coroner ruled the cause of death as blunt force injuries from being struck by a vehicle, with Taser exposure and foot pursuit circumstances contributing to the fatal chain of events. Autopsy and investigative review focused on exertion, environmental risk, and the timing of the Taser deployment relative to Thompson’s movement into traffic. No firearm discharge occurred during the incident. Taser probe contact was confirmed prior to the fatal roadway entry, and the death was medically attributed to the vehicle collision rather than electrical weapon effects alone.
***
Identity and personal background: Local reporting described Thompson as a young adult living in Northern Colorado with ties to the Loveland and Fort Collins area. Coverage described him through references to his local residency and family connections in the region, emphasizing that the initial stop stemmed from expired registration and that no violent crime context was present in the encounter. Reporting referenced prior minor legal issues primarily related to traffic and low-level offenses, with no indication of a violent criminal background in the coverage surrounding the incident.
***
Family response and public statements: Thompson’s family publicly contested the official narrative and raised concerns about the decision to deploy a Taser during a foot pursuit next to an active interstate highway. Relatives argued that the escalation from a minor registration stop to a Taser-assisted foot chase created a foreseeable risk that pushed him into traffic. Family members emphasized he was unarmed and stopped for a nonviolent violation before the encounter turned fatal. Public statements and media interviews framed the case as an example of how force decisions during foot pursuits near highways can produce lethal outcomes even when the initial stop involves a low-level infraction.
***
Lawsuit and litigation outcome: A federal civil lawsuit was filed against Larimer County and Deputy Lorenzo Lujan alleging excessive force and wrongful death. The complaint argued that deploying a Taser during a foot pursuit adjacent to high-speed interstate traffic created a dangerous and predictable chain of events leading directly to Thompson’s death. Plaintiffs asserted the force was disproportionate to the underlying violation and that safer tactical alternatives were available. Reporting confirms the lawsuit advanced through federal court proceedings rather than being immediately dismissed, focusing on constitutional excessive force standards, policy, and training related to Taser use during foot pursuits in roadway environments. Public follow-up reporting indicates the case proceeded through litigation stages with legal arguments centered on causation and foreseeability, and there has been no widely reported final jury verdict or high-profile dismissal documented in mainstream follow-up coverage.
***Prosecutorial and administrative review: The Larimer County District Attorney’s Office reviewed the incident and cleared Deputy Lorenzo Lujan of criminal wrongdoing, concluding the use of force fell within Colorado legal standards. Administrative review included body camera analysis, supervisory review, and coordination with the coroner’s office. No criminal charges were filed against the deputy following the investigation.
***
Important institutional detail: Deaths that occur during foot pursuits involving intermediate force such as Tasers are frequently classified medically as vehicle impact or blunt force trauma rather than force-related fatalities, even when force deployment is a contributing factor in the chain of events. This layered causation structure often shifts accountability disputes into civil litigation rather than criminal prosecution, particularly in cases where the initial stop involves a nonviolent offense and the fatal injury results from environmental hazards such as roadway traffic.
SOURCE LINKS :
https://www.denverpost.com/2023/02/19/larimer-county-sheriff-road-death/
https://www.reporterherald.com/2023/02/28/coroner-loveland-man-killed-in-north-fort-collins-after-fleeing-feb-18-traffic-stop/
https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/taser-death-interstate-25-lorenzo-lujan-brent-thompson-larimer-county-sheriff-deputy-death-lawsuit/
https://www.yahoo.com/news/man-hit-car-during-traffic-145525138.html
https://thebrunswicknews.com/news/national_news/man-dies-during-traffic-stop-in-colorado/article_1a91e79f-b02c-53a4-bddd-d61a5d798396.html
Rashaun Mason
Age :21
Gender :Male
Race : Black
Date : 02/19/2023
Location : Corby Boulevard
City : South Bend
County : St. Joseph
State : Indiana
Agency : South Bend Police Department
Officer(s) : Unknown
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Driver killed by police chase crash
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On 02/19/2023, South Bend Police officers observed a vehicle traveling on Corby Boulevard without headlights illuminated and initiated a traffic stop attempt for the equipment violation (nonworking headlights). Officers activated emergency lights and began pursuing the vehicle when the driver did not stop. Police escalated the pursuit through city streets at increasing speeds. During the chase, the vehicle continued driving and ultimately crashed on Corby Boulevard, resulting in fatal injuries to both occupants. Rashaun Mason, identified as the driver, died from crash-related injuries at the scene following the police pursuit initiated for the headlight violation.
***
ARMED STATUS AND REASON FOR ENCOUNTER: Investigative reporting suggests that Rashaun Mason was unarmed during the incident. No weapon recovery was reported in available coverage. The encounter began solely as a traffic enforcement action for driving without headlights at night. Public reporting did not identify any active warrants associated with the stop, and the pursuit was not initiated for a violent crime or felony investigation but for equipment failure. No confirmed violent offense context was documented in connection with the initial police contact.
***
INCIDENT RECONSTRUCTION AND SEQUENCE: Police observed the vehicle traveling without headlights and attempted a stop along Corby Boulevard. Officers activated emergency equipment and pursued when the driver continued driving instead of stopping. The pursuit remained active through surface streets in the South Bend area before the vehicle crashed. Investigative reporting described the pursuit as brief but escalated due to the driver continuing to drive away from officers. The crash caused catastrophic injuries to both occupants, and emergency responders pronounced them dead at the scene. Authorities later confirmed the crash occurred after the attempted traffic stop and pursuit sequence rather than a standalone collision unrelated to police activity.
***
FORENSIC AND MEDICAL FINDINGS: The deaths were medically classified as vehicle crash fatalities resulting from blunt force trauma sustained in the collision. No firearm discharge occurred during the incident. Law enforcement did not report the use of a PIT maneuver or firearm force in publicly available summaries. The fatal injuries were attributed to the high-impact crash following the police pursuit.
***
IDENTITY AND PERSONAL BACKGROUND: Local reporting identified Rashaun Mason as a 21-year-old man from the South Bend area. Coverage described him through references to his local residency and community ties rather than any violent criminal narrative. Reporting indicated discussion surrounding prior minor legal issues, including a past marijuana-related conviction referenced in community commentary, but no reporting established that a violent criminal history or serious warrant was driving the stop. The available record emphasizes that the initiating reason for police contact was a minor traffic equipment violation.
***
FAMILY RESPONSE AND PUBLIC STATEMENTS: Public reporting and community reactions questioned the necessity of initiating and escalating a vehicle pursuit over a nonviolent equipment violation. Commentary referenced concerns about whether the pursuit was proportionate to the underlying offense and whether the escalation contributed to the fatal outcome. Statements circulating in local discourse suggested Mason may have had prior negative experiences with law enforcement, which some community voices speculated could have influenced his decision to continue driving, though no official investigative finding confirmed a definitive motive for flight.
***
LAWSUIT AND LITIGATION OUTCOME: As of available follow-up reporting, there has been limited widely reported federal civil litigation specifically centered on Rashaun Mason’s death. However, the dual-fatality crash tied to a police pursuit drew scrutiny regarding pursuit policy and proportional enforcement practices. The absence of major publicly documented civil litigation in mainstream reporting suggests the case did not develop into a high-profile federal excessive force lawsuit, though policy and accountability questions remained part of the public discourse surrounding the incident.
***
PROSECUTORIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW: The incident was investigated under standard post-pursuit review protocols. Public reporting indicates the crash was treated as a pursuit-related fatality rather than a direct use-of-force shooting, which typically shifts legal scrutiny toward policy compliance rather than criminal charging of officers. No criminal charges against officers were publicly reported in follow-up coverage related to the pursuit and crash.
***
IMPORTANT INSTITUTIONAL DETAIL: Vehicle pursuit fatalities initiated over low-level traffic violations often undergo internal policy review rather than criminal investigation when no firearm or direct force is used. In many jurisdictions, pursuits for minor infractions such as equipment violations are permitted at officer discretion, and resulting crash deaths are frequently classified legally as collision fatalities rather than police use-of-force deaths, even when the pursuit directly precedes the fatal crash. This classification can limit prosecutorial exposure while shifting accountability debates toward departmental pursuit policies.
***
OFFICER IDENTIFICATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY: Officer names were not widely disclosed in early reporting, and publicly accessible coverage primarily referenced South Bend Police Department collectively rather than naming individual pursuing officers. There is no widely reported firing, criminal indictment, or disciplinary termination publicly tied to the officers involved in the pursuit based on available follow-up reporting.
***
INCIDENT RECONSTRUCTION AND SEQUENCE: Police observed the vehicle traveling without headlights and attempted a stop along Corby Boulevard. Officers activated emergency equipment and pursued when the driver continued driving instead of stopping. The pursuit remained active through surface streets in the South Bend area before the vehicle crashed. Investigative reporting described the pursuit as brief but escalated due to the driver continuing to drive away from officers. The crash caused catastrophic injuries to both occupants, and emergency responders pronounced them dead at the scene. Authorities later confirmed the crash occurred after the attempted traffic stop and pursuit sequence rather than a standalone collision unrelated to police activity.
***
FORENSIC AND MEDICAL FINDINGS: The deaths were medically classified as vehicle crash fatalities resulting from blunt force trauma sustained in the collision. No firearm discharge occurred during the incident. Law enforcement did not report the use of a PIT maneuver or firearm force in publicly available summaries. The fatal injuries were attributed to the high-impact crash following the police pursuit.
***
IDENTITY AND PERSONAL BACKGROUND: Local reporting identified Rashaun Mason as a 21-year-old man from the South Bend area. Coverage described him through references to his local residency and community ties rather than any violent criminal narrative. Reporting indicated discussion surrounding prior minor legal issues, including a past marijuana-related conviction referenced in community commentary, but no reporting established that a violent criminal history or serious warrant was driving the stop. The available record emphasizes that the initiating reason for police contact was a minor traffic equipment violation.
***
LAWSUIT AND LITIGATION OUTCOME: As of available follow-up reporting, there has been limited widely reported federal civil litigation specifically centered on Rashaun Mason’s death. However, the dual-fatality crash tied to a police pursuit drew scrutiny regarding pursuit policy and proportional enforcement practices. The absence of major publicly documented civil litigation in mainstream reporting suggests the case did not develop into a high-profile federal excessive force lawsuit, though policy and accountability questions remained part of the public discourse surrounding the incident.
SOURCE LINKS :
https://apnews.com/article/south-bend-291535b310521c51948264b0afa18a52
https://www.wndu.com/2023/02/21/2-killed-after-car-hits-tree-south-bend-sunday-morning/
https://www.953mnc.com/2023/02/21/two-men-killed-in-crash-at-corby-blvd-and-jacob-street-in-south-bend/
https://www.southbendtribune.com/story/news/crime/2023/02/21/two-men-killed-in-corby-crash-involving-brief-pursuit-from-south-bend-police/69927256007/
Jurell M. Fedrick
Age :26
Gender :Male
Race : Black
Date : 02/19/2023
Location : Corby Boulevard
City : South Bend
County : St. Joseph
State : Indiana
Agency : South Bend Police Department
Officer(s) : Unknown
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Passenger killed by police chase crash
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On 02/19/2023, South Bend Police officers attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle traveling on Corby Boulevard without headlights illuminated. Officers activated emergency lights and pursued the vehicle when the driver continued driving rather than stopping. Police escalated the pursuit through city roadways, and the vehicle ultimately crashed on Corby Boulevard. Jurell M. Fedrick, a passenger in the vehicle, sustained fatal injuries in the crash and died at the scene as a result of the police pursuit sequence that began with a headlight equipment violation.
***
ARMED STATUS AND REASON FOR ENCOUNTER: Investigative reporting did not indicate that Jurell M. Fedrick was armed with any weapon. He was a passenger and not the driver of the vehicle that police pursued. The initial police contact stemmed from a nonviolent traffic equipment issue involving headlights, and no violent warrants or weapons-related circumstances were reported as factors in the encounter.
***
INCIDENT RECONSTRUCTION AND SEQUENCE: Officers attempted a stop for the headlight violation and initiated a pursuit when the vehicle continued driving. The pursuit progressed along Corby Boulevard and surrounding streets before the vehicle crashed. Reporting characterized the pursuit as brief but directly connected to the crash that caused the fatalities. Emergency personnel responded to the crash scene and pronounced both occupants deceased due to crash-related injuries. The fatal sequence was tied to the police pursuit rather than an unrelated roadway event.
***
FORENSIC AND MEDICAL FINDINGS: Fedrick’s death was classified as a vehicle crash fatality caused by blunt force trauma sustained in the collision. No police firearm discharge or direct physical force against the passenger was reported. The medical cause of death reflects impact injuries from the crash that occurred during the police pursuit.
***
IDENTITY AND PERSONAL BACKGROUND: Jurell M. Fedrick was identified as a 26-year-old man connected to the South Bend community. Reporting framed him primarily in relation to the crash incident rather than any violent criminal context. As a passenger, there is no reporting that he was the subject of the attempted traffic stop or that he was wanted for any violent offense at the time of the incident.
***
FAMILY RESPONSE AND PUBLIC STATEMENTS: The dual-fatality nature of the crash prompted community discussion and concern regarding the proportionality of initiating a pursuit over a minor traffic violation. Public discourse emphasized that a passenger who was not driving also died as a direct result of the pursuit. Community reactions questioned whether escalation of a chase for a nonviolent equipment issue created unnecessary risk to vehicle occupants and the public.
***
LAWSUIT AND LITIGATION OUTCOME: Publicly available reporting has not widely documented a high-profile federal civil lawsuit specifically naming officers in connection with Jurell M. Fedrick’s death, though the case has been discussed within broader scrutiny of pursuit-related fatalities tied to low-level violations. The absence of prominent litigation coverage suggests the incident remained primarily within internal review and media reporting rather than extended civil court proceedings, based on accessible follow-up sources.
***
PROSECUTORIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW: The incident was handled as a pursuit-related fatal crash investigation rather than a direct police shooting or restraint death. Available reporting does not indicate criminal charges filed against officers involved in the pursuit. Administrative and policy review standards typically apply in such cases to evaluate pursuit justification and compliance with departmental guidelines.
***
IMPORTANT INSTITUTIONAL DETAIL: Passenger fatalities during police pursuits are often legally categorized as crash deaths rather than direct use-of-force fatalities, even when the pursuit is the initiating event. This distinction can significantly affect investigative outcomes, as prosecutorial review tends to focus on policy compliance and causation rather than criminal liability unless extreme negligence or policy violations are formally documented.
***
OFFICER IDENTIFICATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY: Officer identities were not prominently released in initial and follow-up reporting, and coverage referred broadly to South Bend Police Department officers involved in the pursuit. There is no widely reported criminal prosecution, termination, or disciplinary firing connected to the officers in mainstream follow-up reporting.
SOURCE LINKS :
https://apnews.com/article/south-bend-291535b310521c51948264b0afa18a52
https://www.wndu.com/2023/02/21/2-killed-after-car-hits-tree-south-bend-sunday-morning/
https://www.953mnc.com/2023/02/21/two-men-killed-in-crash-at-corby-blvd-and-jacob-street-in-south-bend/
https://www.southbendtribune.com/story/news/crime/2023/02/21/two-men-killed-in-corby-crash-involving-brief-pursuit-from-south-bend-police/69927256007/
Michael Ghione
Age :75
Gender :Male
Race : White
Date : 02/19/2023
Location : South High Street and Route 202 overpass
City : West Chester
County : Chester
State : Pennsylvania
Agency : Westtown-East Goshen Regional Police Department
Officer(s) : Jason Listmeier
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Bicyclist killed by police vehicle crash
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On 02/19/2023 at approximately 10:16 a.m., Westtown-East Goshen Regional Police Officer Jason Listmeier was driving a marked patrol vehicle southbound on South High Street near the Route 202 overpass when his police vehicle struck 75-year-old bicyclist Michael Ghione. Investigators later confirmed the officer was not responding to an emergency call, was not using lights or sirens, and was engaged in routine driving at the time of the crash. Authorities determined the collision occurred while Ghione was lawfully riding his bicycle and was not involved in any police activity. He suffered severe traumatic injuries from the impact and later died as a result of the crash.
***
ARMED STATUS AND REASON FOR ENCOUNTER: Michael Ghione was an uninvolved civilian bicyclist and was not armed. He was not stopped, pursued, investigated, or suspected of any crime. There were no warrants, enforcement actions, or police contact involving him prior to the collision. The incident was not a law enforcement stop but a police vehicle crash involving a civilian roadway user.
***
INCIDENT RECONSTRUCTION AND SEQUENCE: Crash reconstruction and prosecutorial investigation determined Officer Jason Listmeier was operating his patrol vehicle under normal patrol conditions when the fatal collision occurred. Investigators concluded he was actively reading and typing on the patrol car’s mobile data terminal in the moments leading up to the crash. That digital activity became the central evidence in the criminal case. Authorities stated the officer’s attention was diverted from the roadway while interacting with the onboard computer immediately before striking Ghione near the overpass corridor. Emergency responders arrived and transported Ghione, who later died from injuries sustained in the direct vehicle impact.
***
FORENSIC AND MEDICAL FINDINGS: The Chester County Coroner ruled the death a homicide caused by multiple traumatic injuries sustained in a motor vehicle crash involving a police vehicle. Critical forensic evidence used against the officer included patrol vehicle computer usage logs, crash reconstruction analysis, scene evidence, and officer statements. The DA’s office concluded the onboard computer data showed distraction immediately before the collision, which supported negligence charges. This is very different from most police crash cases where distraction cannot be proven because digital interaction records are often unavailable or inconclusive.
***
IDENTITY AND PERSONAL BACKGROUND: Michael Ghione was a 75-year-old West Chester resident and longtime local community member who regularly rode his bicycle in the area. Obituary and local reporting described him through references to his local residency and longstanding ties to the community, emphasizing he was an elderly civilian bicyclist traveling through a routine roadway environment when he was struck by an on-duty police vehicle that was not engaged in an emergency response.
***
FAMILY RESPONSE AND PUBLIC STATEMENTS: The case generated strong public reaction after prosecutors revealed the distraction findings and filed criminal charges against the officer. Community members and advocates emphasized that Ghione was a vulnerable roadway user killed by an inattentive on-duty officer who was not responding to any emergency. Public discussion focused heavily on distracted driving, police accountability, and the unusual fact that homicide charges were filed against an officer in a non-pursuit crash.
***
LAWSUIT AND LITIGATION OUTCOME: The fatal crash exposure created clear grounds for wrongful death litigation due to the criminal negligence findings and homicide classification by the coroner. Public reporting focused primarily on the criminal prosecution rather than civil resolution, which is common in cases where felony charges are pending. The legal posture centered on negligence liability tied to distracted operation of a police vehicle rather than discretionary force decisions.
***
PROSECUTORIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW: The Chester County District Attorney’s Office formally charged Officer Jason Listmeier with homicide by vehicle, involuntary manslaughter, recklessly endangering another person, and related summary traffic offenses. Prosecutors stated the evidence showed inattentive driving due to computer use rather than emergency operational necessity. Investigators and prosecutors confirmed he was not responding to an emergency, had no lights or sirens activated, and was engaged in routine driving when the crash occurred. That fact significantly strengthened the negligence case because the officer was not operating under emergency response protections. Standard protocol placed him on administrative leave after the crash, which is typically paid during investigation and is procedural rather than a disciplinary finding. However, unlike most police vehicle fatality cases, prosecutors pursued felony-level charges and the death was ruled a homicide by the coroner, a combination that is rare in officer-involved crash cases.
***
IMPORTANT INSTITUTIONAL DETAIL: Fatal police vehicle crashes involving distraction are structurally distinct from pursuit or use-of-force cases because they fall under negligence and vehicular homicide statutes rather than split-second force justification standards. When digital evidence such as mobile data terminal logs confirm distraction, prosecutors gain a stronger evidentiary basis for criminal charges. In this case, the presence of documented computer interaction immediately before impact created a prosecutable negligence framework that is uncommon in police crash investigations.
***
OFFICER IDENTIFICATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY: Officer Jason Listmeier was publicly identified in charging documents following the investigation. He was placed on administrative leave after the crash and the criminal case proceeded through court rather than being quietly closed or reduced to an internal disciplinary matter. He was not acquitted quickly and did not merely receive a citation. The prosecution advanced the homicide by vehicle and involuntary manslaughter charges based on the distraction evidence and crash reconstruction findings.
***
FINAL LEGAL OUTCOME: The homicide charges did not evaporate through immediate dismissal and the case moved through the criminal court process rather than ending as a simple administrative incident. As of the latest confirmed public reporting, the case proceeded through prosecution stages centered on negligence and distracted driving evidence tied to the patrol car computer use. The legal trajectory reflects a rare instance where an on-duty officer faced homicide-level criminal charges for a fatal distracted driving crash, rather than internal clearance or summary discipline typical of many police vehicle fatality cases. Nevertheless, the officer was not tried and convicted nor decertified.
SOURCE LINKS :
https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/police-car-reportedly-struck-killed-bicyclist-in-chester-county/3504199/
https://6abc.com/west-chester-pa-bicyclist-killed-goshen-police-south-hight-street/12844061/
https://6abc.com/west-chester-pa-crash-jason-listmeier-crashed-officer-faces-charges-bicyclist-killed/13049691/
https://www.abc27.com/pennsylvania/bicyclist-killed-in-accident-involving-police-vehicle-in-pennsylvania/
https://www.dellafh.com/obituary/Michael-Ghione