Death by Cop  2021-2025

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Anita Benz

Age :45

Gender :Female

Race : Unknown

Date : 03/06/2021

Location : NW Paramore and Lyman Road

City : Topeka

County : Shawnee

State : Kansas

Agency : Kansas Highway Patrol

Officer(s) : Trooper(s) Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Passenger killed in law enforcement pursuit

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 03/06/2021, 45-year-old Anita Benz was a passenger in a vehicle involved in a pursuit initiated by the Kansas Highway Patrol near NW Paramore and Lyman Road in Topeka. Troopers pursued the vehicle after alleging it was stolen and that it refused to stop. A Kansas Highway Patrol trooper conducted a pursuit intervention (pit maneuver), causing the vehicle to collide with a utility pole. Benz sustained fatal injuries in the crash. Investigators subsequently cleared the troopers involved. Benz’s family later filed a civil lawsuit challenging the pursuit tactics, and the state settled the case, awarding money to the family.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://news.yahoo.com/kansas-highway-patrol-pay-500-153032916.html
https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/politics/government/2023/08/17/state-settles-in-kansas-highway-patrol-chase-that-killed-topeka-woman/70598824007/ 

Name Not Disclosed

Age :

Gender :Male

Race : Unknown

Date : 03/05/2021

Location : Interstate 20 near Douglas Boulevard/Ga. 5

City : Douglasville

County : Douglas

State : Georgia

Agency : Douglasville Police Department

Officer(s) : Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Pedestrian killed by vehicle while fleeing police on foot

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

REASON FOR CHASE: A Douglasville Police Department officer encountered two men while conducting burglary patrol behind the Best Buy on Douglas Boulevard. Police said the officer observed the men attempting to break into the business. Both men fled from the officer on foot.
NARRATIVE:
On 03/05/2021, an unidentified man was struck and killed by a vehicle on Interstate 20 in Douglasville while fleeing on foot from a Douglasville Police Department officer.

At approximately 4:20 a.m., a Douglasville police officer was conducting routine burglary patrol when she encountered two men behind the Best Buy on Douglas Boulevard. Police said the officer observed the men attempting to break into the rear entrance of the business.

When the officer confronted them, both men ran from the area on foot and attempted to cross Interstate 20. One of the men was struck by a passing motorist in the eastbound lanes and killed.

The second man successfully crossed the interstate and continued running. Police located and arrested him a short time later near Rose Avenue.

The fatal collision closed the eastbound lanes of Interstate 20 for nearly four hours while authorities investigated the death. Contemporary reporting stated that police withheld the identities of both men pending notification of their families.

The 03/05/2021 Douglas County fatality documented by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System is consistent in date, county and fatality count with this independently documented pedestrian death on Interstate 20.

This incident did not involve a motor-vehicle pursuit. The deceased fled from a police officer on foot and was killed when he attempted to cross Interstate 20.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://patch.com/georgia/douglasville/pedestrian-killed-i-20-douglasville-blocked-4-hours
https://www.ajc.com/news/i-20-reopens-hours-after-pedestrian-killed-in-douglas-county/INFIRD3SF5AWLC6L2SR775XVX4/
https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/police-burglary-suspect-killed-while-fleeing-officers-across-i-20
https://www.nhtsa.gov/research-data/fatality-analysis-reporting-system-fars

Christopher Nathaniel Barnes

Age :23

Gender :Male

Race : White

Date : 03/05/2021

Location : New Kimmins Road across from 821 New Kimmins Road

City : Hohenwald

County : Lewis

State : Tennessee

Agency : Hohenwald Police Department

Officer(s) : Officer Kalum Halfacre

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Passenger killed in police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

REASON FOR CHASE: Hohenwald Police Department Officer Kalum Halfacre activated his emergency lights to make a traffic stop of the Chevrolet Tahoe on Lewis Street. The driver continued away from the attempted stop, and Halfacre followed the vehicle. The available reporting does not specify the original traffic violation that prompted Halfacre to initiate the stop.
NARRATIVE:
On 03/05/2021, 23-year-old Christopher Nathaniel Barnes of Hohenwald was killed when a Chevrolet Tahoe in which he was a passenger crashed during a Hohenwald Police Department pursuit in Lewis County, Tennessee.

At approximately 7:43 p.m., Hohenwald Police Officer Kalum Halfacre activated his emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop of the Tahoe on Lewis Street. Kareena M. Allison, 28, was driving the vehicle. Allison continued away from the attempted stop, and Halfacre followed.

GPS data from Halfacre's patrol vehicle showed that he was traveling approximately 33 mph when he activated his emergency lights. During the ensuing 51 seconds, Halfacre reached a maximum speed of approximately 58 mph while keeping the Tahoe in sight.

Allison continued north on New Kimmins Road. Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Steve Karpati subsequently reported that Allison was traveling too fast for conditions when she lost control of the Tahoe.

The Tahoe left the roadway, struck two trees and traveled down an approximately 20-foot embankment, coming to rest in a deep ravine across from 821 New Kimmins Road. The crash occurred only 51 seconds after Halfacre activated his emergency lights.

Lewis County Fire and Rescue personnel entered the ravine to reach Allison and Barnes. Barnes was found dead in the crashed vehicle. Allison sustained critical injuries and was taken by ambulance to the helipad at Lewis Health Center before being flown by air ambulance for treatment. She subsequently survived and was released from the hospital.

Lewis County Coroner Dr. Lori Stewart and County Medical Examiner Dr. Joey Hensley responded to the crash scene and examined Barnes. The Tennessee Highway Patrol Critical Incident Response Team responded to reconstruct the fatal collision.

Police reported that Allison had outstanding warrants and a suspended driver's license. Those circumstances were documented after the crash; the publicly available account does not establish them as the reason Halfacre originally activated his emergency lights.

Barnes's obituary independently confirms that Christopher Nathaniel Barnes died in Lewis County on the evening of 03/05/2021. It gives his date of birth as 06/27/1997, making him 23 years old at the time of his death.

The 03/05/2021 Lewis County fatality documented by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System corresponds with this independently documented fatal Hohenwald Police Department pursuit involving Christopher Nathaniel Barnes.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.lewisherald.com/story/2021/03/11/news/fatal-vehicle-crash/2140.html
https://www.lewisherald.com/story/2021/03/17/obituaries/christopher-barnes/2199.html
https://tngenweb.org/lewis/barnes-christopher-n/

Timothy A. Tatum

Age :37

Gender :Male

Race : White

Date : 03/05/2021

Location : E 47th Street South and Oliver

City : Wichita

County : Sedgwick

State : Kansas

Agency : Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office

Officer(s) : Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Driver killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

At 2:30 a.m., a deputy attempted to stop Timothy A. Tatum, riding a Honda Shadow, for a registration violation. When the deputy activated his lights and sirens, Tatum fled. Less than a half-mile from where the pursuit began, Tatum hit a raised median and was killed.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.kansas.com/news/local/crime/article249718298.html

Name Not Disclosed

Age :

Gender :Male

Race : Unknown

Date : 03/05/2021

Location : North Peak Street

City : Dallas

County : Dallas

State : Texas

Agency : Grand Prairie Police Department, Dallas County Sheriff's Office

Officer(s) : Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Bystander killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

Around 1:45 a.m., a Grand Prairie police officer identified a stolen Ford F-350, leading to a pursuit into Dallas. The Dallas County Sheriff's Office joined the chase. At Ross Avenue and North Peak Street, the driver of the stolen truck, 18-year-old Ramiro Sotelo, ran a red light and collided with another vehicle, killing its driver. The identity of the bystander killed in the crash has not been released.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/1-killed-in-crash-during-police-pursuit-of-stolen-truck/2571279/

William Joseph Thomas

Age :38

Gender :Male

Race : Unknown

Date : 03/05/2021

Location : Needmore Road and Wagner Ford Road

City : Dayton

County : Montgomery

State : Ohio

Agency : Montgomery County Sheriff's Office

Officer(s) : Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Driver killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On March 5, 2021, deputies from the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office identified a stolen vehicle being driven by William Joseph Thomas, 38, in Dayton, Ohio. When deputies attempted to stop the vehicle, Thomas fled, initiating a pursuit. The chase ended when Thomas collided with another vehicle on Needmore Road. He sustained critical injuries in the crash and later died. No other significant injuries were reported.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.daytondailynews.com/local/warren-county-man-identified-for-allegedly-making-lebanon-bomb-threat/PGZNKOKW5FFNPCHLVNABRPX4AI/?utm_

Name Not Disclosed

Age :

Gender :Male

Race : Latino/a/e

Date : 03/04/2021

Location : FM 2523

City : Del Rio

County : Val Verde

State : Texas

Agency : Texas Department of Public Safety

Officer(s) : Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Bystander killed by Operation Lone Star police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On March 4, 2021, 18-year-old Bianca Michelle Trujillo-Lopez was driving on FM 2523 near Del Rio when a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper attempted to stop her for speeding. She fled, allegedly reaching speeds over 120 mph, lost control on a curve, and rolled the vehicle, ejecting a migrant passenger who was killed. The deceased's identity has not been released. Trujillo-Lopez and 28-year-old Isidrio Rodriguez Jr. were indicted on charges including conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death and serious bodily injury.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.ksat.com/news/texas/2021/03/25/austin-woman-man-indicted-following-chase-crash-near-del-rio-that-left-immigrant-dead/

Matthew Earl Cox

Age :38

Gender :Male

Race : Unknown

Date : 03/03/2021

Location : 77th Street Drive near 14th Avenue Drive

City : Belle Plaine

County : Benton

State : Iowa

Agency : Linn County Sheriff's Office

Officer(s) : Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Driver killed in police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

REASON FOR CHASE: A Linn County Sheriff's Office deputy observed a silver Dodge Grand Caravan without license plates that appeared to be prowling a residential area in Atkins. After the driver ran a stop sign, the deputy attempted a traffic stop. Matthew Earl Cox continued away from the attempted stop and the deputy pursued.
NARRATIVE:
On 03/03/2021, 38-year-old Matthew Earl Cox of Cedar Rapids was killed when the Dodge Grand Caravan he was driving crashed during a Linn County Sheriff's Office pursuit in Benton County, Iowa.

At approximately 3:49 a.m., a Linn County Sheriff's Office deputy observed a silver Dodge Grand Caravan without license plates in a residential area of Atkins. The Sheriff's Office reported that the vehicle appeared to be prowling the neighborhood. After the driver ran a stop sign, the deputy attempted to stop the vehicle. Cox continued away and a pursuit began.

The pursuit traveled south from Atkins and then west on U.S. Highway 30. Cox continued south on Highway 21 into Belle Plaine and then east onto 77th Street Drive. The Sheriff's Office reported that speeds during the pursuit reached approximately 115 mph.

At approximately 4:09 a.m., after about 20 minutes of pursuit, Cox drove off 77th Street Drive near 14th Avenue Drive east of Belle Plaine and struck a culvert. Cox was ejected from the minivan and died at the scene.

A passenger, 33-year-old Mary Jeanette Ridenour of Cedar Rapids, was trapped inside the crashed minivan. Emergency personnel extricated her, and she was airlifted to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City with serious injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening.

The Iowa State Patrol investigated the fatal collision. The 03/03/2021 Benton County fatality documented by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System corresponds with the independently documented pursuit crash that killed Matthew Earl Cox.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.kcrg.com/2021/03/04/officials-identify-man-who-died-in-crash-following-high-speed-chase-in-benton-county/
https://www.thegazette.com/crime-courts/man-killed-during-pursuit-with-linn-deputies-when-ejected-from-minivan-in-benton-county/
https://www.thegazette.com/crime-courts/cedar-rapids-man-died-in-crash-following-high-speed-pursuit-in-benton-county/
https://www.ketv.com/article/iowa-sheriff-ids-driver-killed-in-crash-during-police-chase/35730452

Name Not Disclosed

Age :39

Gender :Male

Race : Unknown

Date : 03/03/2021

Location : 600 block of Lakeview Road

City : Cleveland

County : Cuyahoga

State : Ohio

Agency : East Cleveland Police Department

Officer(s) : Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Driver killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

East Cleveland police attempted to stop a vehicle for erratic driving near Superior and Hayden avenues around 1 a.m. The driver did not stop. Officers escalated a chase that reached speeds of 70 mph on Euclid Avenue until the man lost control turning onto Lakeview Road and crashed into a utility pole. The 39-year-old male driver died in the crash. A 34-year-old woman in the car was injured and transported to University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/cleveland-metro/driver-arrested-after-crashing-into-utility-pole-following-a-chase-with-east-cleveland-police
https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/cleveland-metro/east-cleveland-pursuit-ends-in-crash-on-lakeview-road
https://www.cleveland.com/news/2021/03/east-cleveland-pursuit-ends-in-deadly-crash-on-lakeview-road.html

Jeeves Tangonan

Age :37

Gender :Male

Race : Native Pacific Islander

Date : 03/02/2021

Location : Fairfax Avenue and 3rd Street

City : Los Angeles

County : Los Angeles

State : California

Agency : Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

Officer(s) : Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Bystander killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On March 2, 2021, Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies attempted to stop a gray Chevrolet Malibu driving without headlights and weaving between lanes. The vehicle reportedly struck one of the deputies and continued driving. Deputies escalated a pursuit through the Fairfax District of Los Angeles. Near the intersection of Fairfax Avenue and 3rd Street, the fleeing driver crashed into a vehicle occupied by an uninvolved motorist. That vehicle burst into flames, killing the bystander. The man was arrested and taken to the hospital.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-03/fiery-sheriffs-pursuit-in-fairfax-district-leaves-one-dead
https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/driver-dead-after-crash-during-pursuit-in-fairfax-district/2531284/
https://abc7.com/fairfax-crash-pursuit-deadly/10386255/
https://ktla.com/news/local-news/driver-dies-after-car-crashes-bursts-into-flames-during-pursuit-in-fairfax-district/
https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/bystander-killed-in-fiery-crash-fairfax-district-sheriffs-pursuit/

Name Not Disclosed

Age :

Gender :Unknown

Race : Latino/a/e

Date : 03/02/2021

Location : Highway 115 near Holtville

City : Holtville

County : Imperial

State : California

Agency : U.S. Border Patrol, California Highway Patrol

Officer(s) : Not disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Passenger killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On March 2, 2021, authorities pursued an SUV suspected of human smuggling that originated near the U.S.–Mexico border in Texas and crossed into California. The chase ended near Holtville, where the overloaded Ford Expedition collided with a tractor-trailer on Highway 115. The crash killed 13 occupants and injured more than a dozen others. U.S. Border Patrol confirmed the vehicle entered the country through a gap in the border fence before the pursuit began. The mass-casualty crash became one of the deadliest pursuit-related incidents linked to cross-border smuggling operations in recent U.S. history.

TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 13 fatalities, 12 injuries

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-02/at-least-13-dead-in-california-car-crash-involving-suv-traveling-from-mexico
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/us/california-car-crash-holtville/index.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/13-dead-california-crash-border-patrol-human-smuggling-rcna362

Name Not Disclosed

Age :

Gender :Unknown

Race : Latino/a/e

Date : 03/02/2021

Location : Highway 115 near Holtville

City : Holtville

County : Imperial

State : California

Agency : U.S. Border Patrol, California Highway Patrol

Officer(s) : Not disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Passenger killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On March 2, 2021, authorities pursued an SUV suspected of human smuggling that originated near the U.S.–Mexico border in Texas and crossed into California. The chase ended near Holtville, where the overloaded Ford Expedition collided with a tractor-trailer on Highway 115. The crash killed 13 occupants and injured more than a dozen others. U.S. Border Patrol confirmed the vehicle entered the country through a gap in the border fence before the pursuit began. The mass-casualty crash became one of the deadliest pursuit-related incidents linked to cross-border smuggling operations in recent U.S. history.

TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 13 fatalities, 12 injuries

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-02/at-least-13-dead-in-california-car-crash-involving-suv-traveling-from-mexico
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/us/california-car-crash-holtville/index.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/13-dead-california-crash-border-patrol-human-smuggling-rcna362

Name Not Disclosed

Age :

Gender :Unknown

Race : Latino/a/e

Date : 03/02/2021

Location : Highway 115 near Holtville

City : Holtville

County : Imperial

State : California

Agency : U.S. Border Patrol, California Highway Patrol

Officer(s) : Not disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Passenger killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On March 2, 2021, authorities pursued an SUV suspected of human smuggling that originated near the U.S.–Mexico border in Texas and crossed into California. The chase ended near Holtville, where the overloaded Ford Expedition collided with a tractor-trailer on Highway 115. The crash killed 13 occupants and injured more than a dozen others. U.S. Border Patrol confirmed the vehicle entered the country through a gap in the border fence before the pursuit began. The mass-casualty crash became one of the deadliest pursuit-related incidents linked to cross-border smuggling operations in recent U.S. history.

TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 13 fatalities, 12 injuries

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-02/at-least-13-dead-in-california-car-crash-involving-suv-traveling-from-mexico
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/us/california-car-crash-holtville/index.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/13-dead-california-crash-border-patrol-human-smuggling-rcna362

Name Not Disclosed

Age :

Gender :Unknown

Race : Latino/a/e

Date : 03/02/2021

Location : Highway 115 near Holtville

City : Holtville

County : Imperial

State : California

Agency : U.S. Border Patrol, California Highway Patrol

Officer(s) : Not disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Passenger killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On March 2, 2021, authorities pursued an SUV suspected of human smuggling that originated near the U.S.–Mexico border in Texas and crossed into California. The chase ended near Holtville, where the overloaded Ford Expedition collided with a tractor-trailer on Highway 115. The crash killed 13 occupants and injured more than a dozen others. U.S. Border Patrol confirmed the vehicle entered the country through a gap in the border fence before the pursuit began. The mass-casualty crash became one of the deadliest pursuit-related incidents linked to cross-border smuggling operations in recent U.S. history.

TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 13 fatalities, 12 injuries

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-02/at-least-13-dead-in-california-car-crash-involving-suv-traveling-from-mexico
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/us/california-car-crash-holtville/index.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/13-dead-california-crash-border-patrol-human-smuggling-rcna362

Name Not Disclosed

Age :

Gender :Unknown

Race : Latino/a/e

Date : 03/02/2021

Location : Highway 115 near Holtville

City : Holtville

County : Imperial

State : California

Agency : U.S. Border Patrol, California Highway Patrol

Officer(s) : Not disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Passenger killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On March 2, 2021, authorities pursued an SUV suspected of human smuggling that originated near the U.S.–Mexico border in Texas and crossed into California. The chase ended near Holtville, where the overloaded Ford Expedition collided with a tractor-trailer on Highway 115. The crash killed 13 occupants and injured more than a dozen others. U.S. Border Patrol confirmed the vehicle entered the country through a gap in the border fence before the pursuit began. The mass-casualty crash became one of the deadliest pursuit-related incidents linked to cross-border smuggling operations in recent U.S. history.

TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 13 fatalities, 12 injuries

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-02/at-least-13-dead-in-california-car-crash-involving-suv-traveling-from-mexico
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/us/california-car-crash-holtville/index.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/13-dead-california-crash-border-patrol-human-smuggling-rcna362

Name Not Disclosed

Age :

Gender :Unknown

Race : Latino/a/e

Date : 03/02/2021

Location : Highway 115 near Holtville

City : Holtville

County : Imperial

State : California

Agency : U.S. Border Patrol, California Highway Patrol

Officer(s) : Not disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Passenger killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On March 2, 2021, authorities pursued an SUV suspected of human smuggling that originated near the U.S.–Mexico border in Texas and crossed into California. The chase ended near Holtville, where the overloaded Ford Expedition collided with a tractor-trailer on Highway 115. The crash killed 13 occupants and injured more than a dozen others. U.S. Border Patrol confirmed the vehicle entered the country through a gap in the border fence before the pursuit began. The mass-casualty crash became one of the deadliest pursuit-related incidents linked to cross-border smuggling operations in recent U.S. history.

TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 13 fatalities, 12 injuries

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-02/at-least-13-dead-in-california-car-crash-involving-suv-traveling-from-mexico
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/us/california-car-crash-holtville/index.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/13-dead-california-crash-border-patrol-human-smuggling-rcna362

Name Not Disclosed

Age :

Gender :Unknown

Race : Latino/a/e

Date : 03/02/2021

Location : Highway 115 near Holtville

City : Holtville

County : Imperial

State : California

Agency : U.S. Border Patrol, California Highway Patrol

Officer(s) : Not disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Passenger killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On March 2, 2021, authorities pursued an SUV suspected of human smuggling that originated near the U.S.–Mexico border in Texas and crossed into California. The chase ended near Holtville, where the overloaded Ford Expedition collided with a tractor-trailer on Highway 115. The crash killed 13 occupants and injured more than a dozen others. U.S. Border Patrol confirmed the vehicle entered the country through a gap in the border fence before the pursuit began. The mass-casualty crash became one of the deadliest pursuit-related incidents linked to cross-border smuggling operations in recent U.S. history.

TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 13 fatalities, 12 injuries

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-02/at-least-13-dead-in-california-car-crash-involving-suv-traveling-from-mexico
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/us/california-car-crash-holtville/index.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/13-dead-california-crash-border-patrol-human-smuggling-rcna362

Name Not Disclosed

Age :

Gender :Unknown

Race : Latino/a/e

Date : 03/02/2021

Location : Highway 115 near Holtville

City : Holtville

County : Imperial

State : California

Agency : U.S. Border Patrol, California Highway Patrol

Officer(s) : Not disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Passenger killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On March 2, 2021, authorities pursued an SUV suspected of human smuggling that originated near the U.S.–Mexico border in Texas and crossed into California. The chase ended near Holtville, where the overloaded Ford Expedition collided with a tractor-trailer on Highway 115. The crash killed 13 occupants and injured more than a dozen others. U.S. Border Patrol confirmed the vehicle entered the country through a gap in the border fence before the pursuit began. The mass-casualty crash became one of the deadliest pursuit-related incidents linked to cross-border smuggling operations in recent U.S. history.

TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 13 fatalities, 12 injuries

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-02/at-least-13-dead-in-california-car-crash-involving-suv-traveling-from-mexico
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/us/california-car-crash-holtville/index.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/13-dead-california-crash-border-patrol-human-smuggling-rcna362

Name Not Disclosed

Age :

Gender :Unknown

Race : Latino/a/e

Date : 03/02/2021

Location : Highway 115 near Holtville

City : Holtville

County : Imperial

State : California

Agency : U.S. Border Patrol, California Highway Patrol

Officer(s) : Not disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Passenger killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On March 2, 2021, authorities pursued an SUV suspected of human smuggling that originated near the U.S.–Mexico border in Texas and crossed into California. The chase ended near Holtville, where the overloaded Ford Expedition collided with a tractor-trailer on Highway 115. The crash killed 13 occupants and injured more than a dozen others. U.S. Border Patrol confirmed the vehicle entered the country through a gap in the border fence before the pursuit began. The mass-casualty crash became one of the deadliest pursuit-related incidents linked to cross-border smuggling operations in recent U.S. history.

TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 13 fatalities, 12 injuries

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-02/at-least-13-dead-in-california-car-crash-involving-suv-traveling-from-mexico
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/us/california-car-crash-holtville/index.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/13-dead-california-crash-border-patrol-human-smuggling-rcna362

Name Not Disclosed

Age :

Gender :Unknown

Race : Latino/a/e

Date : 03/02/2021

Location : Highway 115 near Holtville

City : Holtville

County : Imperial

State : California

Agency : U.S. Border Patrol, California Highway Patrol

Officer(s) : Not disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Passenger killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On March 2, 2021, authorities pursued an SUV suspected of human smuggling that originated near the U.S.–Mexico border in Texas and crossed into California. The chase ended near Holtville, where the overloaded Ford Expedition collided with a tractor-trailer on Highway 115. The crash killed 13 occupants and injured more than a dozen others. U.S. Border Patrol confirmed the vehicle entered the country through a gap in the border fence before the pursuit began. The mass-casualty crash became one of the deadliest pursuit-related incidents linked to cross-border smuggling operations in recent U.S. history.

TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 13 fatalities, 12 injuries

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-02/at-least-13-dead-in-california-car-crash-involving-suv-traveling-from-mexico
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/us/california-car-crash-holtville/index.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/13-dead-california-crash-border-patrol-human-smuggling-rcna362

Name Not Disclosed

Age :

Gender :Unknown

Race : Latino/a/e

Date : 03/02/2021

Location : Highway 115 near Holtville

City : Holtville

County : Imperial

State : California

Agency : U.S. Border Patrol, California Highway Patrol

Officer(s) : Not disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Passenger killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On March 2, 2021, authorities pursued an SUV suspected of human smuggling that originated near the U.S.–Mexico border in Texas and crossed into California. The chase ended near Holtville, where the overloaded Ford Expedition collided with a tractor-trailer on Highway 115. The crash killed 13 occupants and injured more than a dozen others. U.S. Border Patrol confirmed the vehicle entered the country through a gap in the border fence before the pursuit began. The mass-casualty crash became one of the deadliest pursuit-related incidents linked to cross-border smuggling operations in recent U.S. history.

TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 13 fatalities, 12 injuries

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-02/at-least-13-dead-in-california-car-crash-involving-suv-traveling-from-mexico
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/us/california-car-crash-holtville/index.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/13-dead-california-crash-border-patrol-human-smuggling-rcna362

Name Not Disclosed

Age :

Gender :Unknown

Race : Latino/a/e

Date : 03/02/2021

Location : Highway 115 near Holtville

City : Holtville

County : Imperial

State : California

Agency : U.S. Border Patrol, California Highway Patrol

Officer(s) : Not disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Passenger killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On March 2, 2021, authorities pursued an SUV suspected of human smuggling that originated near the U.S.–Mexico border in Texas and crossed into California. The chase ended near Holtville, where the overloaded Ford Expedition collided with a tractor-trailer on Highway 115. The crash killed 13 occupants and injured more than a dozen others. U.S. Border Patrol confirmed the vehicle entered the country through a gap in the border fence before the pursuit began. The mass-casualty crash became one of the deadliest pursuit-related incidents linked to cross-border smuggling operations in recent U.S. history.

TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 13 fatalities, 12 injuries

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-02/at-least-13-dead-in-california-car-crash-involving-suv-traveling-from-mexico
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/us/california-car-crash-holtville/index.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/13-dead-california-crash-border-patrol-human-smuggling-rcna362

Ronald Alvin Colvin

Age :87

Gender :Male

Race : White

Date : 02/25/2021

Location : VA-42

City : Craigsville

County : Augusta

State : Virginia

Agency : Augusta County Sheriff's Office

Officer(s) : Not disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Driver killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On February 25, 2021, at approximately 11 p.m., a deputy with the Augusta County Sheriff's Office was traveling westbound on VA-42 when he noticed a vehicle approaching quickly from behind. The vehicle tailgated the deputy, passed him on a double-yellow line, and accelerated to 85 mph. The deputy attempted to stop the vehicle but began a pursuit when the driver allegedly improperly passed another motorist and drove on the wrong side of the road, reaching speeds of 80-100 mph. The driver lost control of the vehicle, a 1993 Lincoln Town Car driven by Ronald Alvin Colvin, which ran off the road, struck a mailbox, spun across the road, hit a ditch, became airborne, and hit a utility pole. Colvin was killed in the crash.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.newsleader.com/story/news/local/2021/02/26/crash-claims-life-augusta-county-man/6835408002/

Zachary Douglas Lumpkin

Age :25

Gender :Male

Race : White

Date : 02/25/2021

Location : GA-41 and Little John Lane

City : Dalton

County : Whitfield

State : Georgia

Agency : Whitfield County Sheriff’s Department

Officer(s) :

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Driver killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 02/25/2021, Zachary Douglas Lumpkin was driving a red Ford Ranger in Whitfield County when a sheriff’s deputy attempted a traffic stop with emergency lights and siren activated around 7:45 p.m. Lumpkin continued driving, with one passenger, Shadow Stanley, in the vehicle. During the chase, Deputy Christopher Hicks struck the truck’s right rear with the front of his patrol vehicle, causing the truck to spin, go airborne, strike a utility pole on the driver’s side, and overturn. Lumpkin and Stanley were both killed in the crash.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.wrcbtv.com/story/43426897/two-killed-after-crash-ends-with-pit-maneuver-while-fleeing-whitfield-co-deputy

Shadow Ridge Stanley

Age :20

Gender :Male

Race : White

Date : 02/25/2021

Location : GA-41 and Little John Lane

City : Dalton

County : Whitfield

State : Georgia

Agency : Whitfield County Sheriff’s Department

Officer(s) :

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Passenger killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 02/25/2021, Shadow Ridge Stanley was a passenger in a red Ford Ranger driven by Zachary Douglas Lumpkin in Whitfield County. A sheriff’s deputy attempted a traffic stop with emergency lights and siren activated around 7:45 p.m. The driver continued driving. During the chase, Deputy Christopher Hicks struck the truck’s right rear with his patrol vehicle, causing the truck to spin, go airborne, strike a utility pole on the driver’s side, and overturn. Stanley was killed in the crash.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.wrcbtv.com/story/43426897/two-killed-after-crash-ends-with-pit-maneuver-while-fleeing-whitfield-co-deputy

Lanise Dade

Age :31

Gender :Female

Race : Black

Date : 02/25/2021

Location : South Garnett Road and East 21st Street

City : Tulsa

County : Tulsa

State : Oklahoma

Agency : Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP), Tulsa Police Department (TPD)

Officer(s) : Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Bystander killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On February 25, 2021, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and Tulsa Police Department initiated a pursuit of a vehicle believed to be stolen through east Tulsa, Oklahoma. During the high-speed chase, the fleeing driver collided with a bystander SUV at the intersection of South Garnett Road and East 21st Street. The crash killed Lanise Dade, a 31-year-old Black female, and her 13-year-old daughter, Camyea Dade, who were inside the SUV. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol and Tulsa Police Department are investigating the incident.
TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES:
• Fatalities: 2 (Lanise Dade and Camyea Dade)
.

SOURCE LINKS :

1. https://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news/14-year-old-charged-as-adult-after-deadly-tulsa-pursuit
2. https://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news/friends-mourn-the-loss-of-a-mother-and-her-daughter-after-fatal-crash
3. https://www.news9.com/story/603dae6dff99610bd3e53431/friends-remember-mother-daughter-killed-during-pursuit-and-crash-
4. https://kfor.com/news/local/highway-patrol-arrests-14-year-old-after-stolen-vehicle-pursuit-crash-that-killed-woman-and-girl-in-tulsa/
5. https://www.newson6.com/story/603964e1097a670bbe3c7dc9/14yearold-man-arrested-following-deadly-pursuit-crash-in-tulsa- 

Camyea Dade

Age :13

Gender :Female

Race : Black

Date : 02/25/2021

Location : South Garnett Road and East 21st Street

City : Tulsa

County : Tulsa

State : Oklahoma

Agency : Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP), Tulsa Police Department (TPD)

Officer(s) : Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Bystander killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On February 25, 2021, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and Tulsa Police Department initiated a pursuit of a vehicle believed to be stolen through east Tulsa, Oklahoma. During the high-speed chase, the fleeing driver collided with a bystander SUV at the intersection of South Garnett Road and East 21st Street. The crash killed Lanise Dade, a 31-year-old Black female, and her 13-year-old daughter, Camyea Dade, who were inside the SUV. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol and Tulsa Police Department are investigating the incident.
TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES:
• Fatalities: 2 (Lanise Dade and Camyea Dade)

SOURCE LINKS :

1. https://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news/14-year-old-charged-as-adult-after-deadly-tulsa-pursuit
2. https://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news/friends-mourn-the-loss-of-a-mother-and-her-daughter-after-fatal-crash
3. https://www.news9.com/story/603dae6dff99610bd3e53431/friends-remember-mother-daughter-killed-during-pursuit-and-crash-
4. https://kfor.com/news/local/highway-patrol-arrests-14-year-old-after-stolen-vehicle-pursuit-crash-that-killed-woman-and-girl-in-tulsa/
5. https://www.newson6.com/story/603964e1097a670bbe3c7dc9/14yearold-man-arrested-following-deadly-pursuit-crash-in-tulsa

Tara Cheatham

Age :30

Gender :Female

Race : White

Date : 02/24/2021

Location : West Warm Springs Road at Schirlls Street, east of Arville Street

City : Las Vegas

County : Clark

State : Nevada

Agency : Nevada Highway Patrol

Officer(s) : Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Driver killed in police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

REASON FOR CHASE: A Nevada Highway Patrol trooper attempted to stop Tara Cheatham while she was driving a Lexus ES 350. Cheatham fled from the attempted traffic stop at high speed. The publicly available reporting does not disclose the original reason the trooper attempted to stop her.
NARRATIVE:
On 02/24/2021, 30-year-old Tara Cheatham of Las Vegas sustained fatal injuries in a multi-vehicle crash on West Warm Springs Road after fleeing an attempted traffic stop by a Nevada Highway Patrol trooper. She remained hospitalized following the crash and died from her injuries on 03/22/2021.

Shortly after 7:00 a.m., Cheatham was driving a Lexus ES 350 east on West Warm Springs Road. According to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department's collision investigation, Cheatham was traveling at high speed after fleeing from an attempted traffic stop by a Nevada Highway Patrol trooper.

As Cheatham approached Schirlls Street east of Arville Street, a Nissan Armada was traveling east ahead of her. A Nissan Sentra was traveling west, with a Hyundai Santa Fe traveling west behind it.

Cheatham attempted to pass the Armada by entering the westbound travel lane. The Lexus struck the left side of the Armada and then collided with the westbound Sentra. The Armada lost control and left the roadway while Cheatham's Lexus continued east.

The Lexus then collided with the Hyundai Santa Fe. The impact redirected the Hyundai rearward while the Lexus rotated. Cheatham was ejected from the Lexus and came to rest north of the roadway.

Emergency personnel transported Cheatham and the driver of the Hyundai to University Medical Center's Trauma Center in critical condition. Cheatham survived the initial crash but remained critically injured.

On 03/22/2021, Las Vegas police announced that Cheatham had died from injuries sustained in the February 24 collision. The fatal crash was investigated by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Collision Investigation Section.

The 02/24/2021 Clark County fatality documented by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System corresponds with the crash involving Cheatham. FARS records qualifying traffic deaths according to the date of the crash, which accounts for the February 24 entry despite Cheatham's death occurring on March 22.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.ktnv.com/news/injury-crash-closes-portion-of-warm-springs-road-in-southwest-las-vegas
https://www.nhtsa.gov/research-data/fatality-analysis-reporting-system-fars

Michael Darrell Smith

Age :34

Gender :Male

Race : Black

Date : 02/24/2021

Location : 7th Street and Roberts Avenue

City : Lumberton

County : Robeson

State : North Carolina

Agency : Lumberton Police Department

Officer(s) : Not disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Driver killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On February 24, 2021, Michael Darrell Smith, 34, was driving a car when Lumberton PD escalated a chase for outstanding warrants. The chase continued until Smith crashed into four other vehicles at the intersection of 7th Street and Roberts Avenue in Lumberton. Smith was killed in the crash.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.robesonian.com/top-stories/142882/five-vehicle-crash-in-lumberton-leaves-one-man-dead
https://www.robesonian.com/top-stories/142949/man-killed-in-multi-vehicle-collision-was-doing-an-estimated-70-mph-while-fleeing-lawmen
https://www.wbtw.com/news/state-regional-news/lumberton/1-dead-2-injured-after-police-chase-ends-in-crash-in-lumberton/
https://www.wbtw.com/news/state-regional-news/lumberton/charges-filed-against-driver-involved-in-deadly-lumberton-crash-after-police-chase/
https://www.wbtw.com/local-news/robeson-co-police-pursuit-raises-concern-on-social-media-suspect-arrested-on-drug-and-weapon-charges/
https://wpde.com/news/local/911-audio-recordings-deadly-lumberton-crash-police-chase-cindy-coe-north-carolina-february-1-2022

Julia Georgiadis

Age :73

Gender :Female

Race : White

Date : 02/23/2021

Location : U.S. 52 and Shelly Street

City : Bonneau

County : Berkeley

State : South Carolina

Agency : Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office

Officer(s) :

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Bystander killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 02/23/2021, a Berkeley County sheriff’s deputy was responding to another agency’s request to assist with a vehicle pursuit. At the intersection of U.S. 52 and Shelly Street in Bonneau, Julia Georgiadis was attempting to make a turn when the deputy’s patrol vehicle collided with her car. Georgiadis was killed in the crash, and a passenger in her vehicle was injured. The collision later became the subject of a civil lawsuit.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.live5news.com/2023/01/04/lawsuit-filed-deadly-berkeley-county-deputy-involved-crash/
https://www.postandcourier.com/news/authorities-identify-woman-killed-in-crash-with-berkeley-county-sheriffs-deputy/article_ae5d4f08-76d4-11eb-837e-4f8922fe6961.html
https://abcnews4.com/news/local/coroner-releases-name-of-deceased-after-crash-with-bcso-vehicle
https://abcnews4.com/news/local/bcso-cruisers-fatal-crash-causes-structural-damage-to-bonneau-womans-home

Lakisel Thomas

Age :43

Gender :Female

Race : Black

Date : 02/22/2021

Location : 7400 block of South Racine Avenue

City : Chicago

County : Cook

State : Illinois

Agency : Chicago Police Department

Officer(s) : Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Pedestrian bystander killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On February 22, 2021, 43-year-old Lakisel Thomas was struck and killed while crossing the street to pick up lunch for her son when a fleeing vehicle ran a red light and hit her. Chicago Police had attempted a traffic stop for an improperly displayed registration. The driver, Isaac Wade, 20, was chased by police at 80 mph and ran multiple lights before striking another vehicle and hitting Thomas in the 7400 block of South Racine Avenue. She died shortly after at St. Bernard Hospital. The pursuit violated department policy, and in January 2025, the city proposed a $4.5 million settlement to her estate.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2025/01/09/police-chase-pedestrian-hit-killed-lawsuit-settlement-englewood-lakisel-thomas
https://news.wttw.com/2025/01/09/pay-family-woman-killed-driver-being-chased-police-45m-city-lawyers-recommend
https://abc7chicago.com/chicago-police-chase-crash-englewood-woman-killed-settlement/14695192/
https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/01/09/chicago-to-pay-4-5-million-to-family-of-woman-killed-by-driver-in-police-chase-in-englewood/
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/chicago-police-chase-settlement-lakisel-thomas/

Name Not Disclosed

Age :

Gender :Male

Race : Unknown

Date : 02/22/2021

Location : Jeffries Freeway& Schaefer Highway

City : Detroit

County : Wayne

State : Michigan

Agency : Detroit Police Department

Officer(s) : Unknown

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Pedestrian killed by police vehicle crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 02/22/2021, an incident occurred on the Jeffries Freeway near Schaefer Highway in Detroit where an off-duty Detroit police officer was involved in a vehicular collision. The officer struck and killed a man who was fleeing from the location of a shooting on I-96, which had resulted in the deaths of two individuals. The fleeing man was attempting to escape on foot when he was hit by the officer's vehicle. Details were not disclosed.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/crash-investigation-closes-southfield-freeway-joy-road-detroit?utm_

Name Not Disclosed

Age :

Gender :Male

Race : White

Date : 02/22/2021

Location : Interstate 15 northbound near Fallbrook

City : Fallbrook

County : San Diego

State : California

Agency : California Highway Patrol

Officer(s) : Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Driver killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On February 22, 2021, around 1:00 p.m., a motorcyclist on a Kawasaki refused to stop for the California Highway Patrol while traveling northbound on Interstate 15 near Fallbrook. The rider sped off at high speed and collided with a Toyota Camry and the center guardrail, suffering fatal injuries. He was transported to Palomar Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The rider’s name was not released by officials, but he was described as a White male. The California Highway Patrol is conducting the investigation.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://timesofsandiego.com/crime/2021/02/22/kawasaki-rider-flees-chp-traffic-stop-and-dies-in-crash-on-northbound-i-15-near-fallbrook/
https://villagenews.com/roadway-blocked-on-i-15-after-fatal-motorcycle-crash-near-fallbrook/

Keean Smalls

Age :23

Gender :Male

Race : Black

Date : 02/21/2021

Location : Gordon Highway and Barton Chapel Road

City : Augusta

County : Richmond

State : Georgia

Agency : Richmond County Sheriff’s Office

Officer(s) : Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Killed during crash following police pursuit

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On February 21, 2021, 23-year-old Keean Smalls of Augusta, Georgia, died after a police pursuit ended in a crash. Around 4:00 a.m., Richmond County Sheriff's deputies attempted to stop Smalls’ vehicle on Gordon Highway. Smalls did not stop, and deputies initiated a pursuit. The chase ended when Smalls drove through a Sprint gas station parking lot near Barton Chapel Road and crashed into the rear of a parked tractor-trailer. Smalls was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:55 a.m. He had to be extricated from the vehicle. The Georgia State Patrol is investigating the crash.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.wjbf.com/csra-news/one-dead-after-police-pursuit-on-gordon-highway/
https://www.wrdw.com/2021/02/21/police-chase-leaves-one-dead-in-augusta/
https://theaugustapress.com/augusta-man-is-killed-in-police-chase-keean-smalls-was-busted-with-stolen-gun-on-last-traffic-stop/

Ivan Sandoval

Age :25

Gender :Male

Race : Unknown

Date : 02/16/2021

Location : San Pablo Avenue and Kay Road

City : San Pablo

County : Contra Costa

State : California

Agency : San Pablo Police Department

Officer(s) : Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Driver killed in police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

REASON FOR CHASE: San Pablo Police Department officers attempted to stop Ivan Sandoval after an automated license-plate reader identified the vehicle he was driving as stolen. Sandoval fled from the attempted stop and officers pursued.
NARRATIVE:
On 02/16/2021, 25-year-old Ivan Sandoval was killed when a stolen vehicle he was driving crashed after a San Pablo Police Department pursuit in Contra Costa County.

At approximately 7:59 a.m., San Pablo police were conducting surveillance on an unoccupied stolen vehicle in the parking lot of a business at 2701 El Portal. The vehicle's license plate had been detected by the city's automated license-plate reader system, generating an alert to San Pablo police dispatchers.

Officers watched Sandoval leave the business, enter the vehicle and drive from the parking lot. Police followed the vehicle and attempted a traffic stop by activating their emergency lights. Sandoval continued driving. Officers then activated their sirens, and Sandoval accelerated away.

The pursuit continued north on San Pablo Avenue toward Richmond Parkway. As Sandoval approached the heavily traveled intersection of San Pablo Avenue and Richmond Parkway at high speed, San Pablo police determined that continuing the pursuit was unsafe and terminated it.

Sandoval continued accelerating north through the intersection. He lost control of the vehicle, entered an uncontrolled skid, crossed the center median and traveled into opposing traffic.

At San Pablo Avenue and Kay Road, Sandoval's vehicle collided with an oncoming vehicle. The impact split the stolen vehicle in half and ejected Sandoval. San Pablo police officers attempted CPR and other emergency medical treatment, but paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.

The driver of the uninvolved vehicle survived the collision.

The Contra Costa County Law Enforcement Involved Fatal Incident protocol was activated following Sandoval's death. Investigators from the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office responded and conducted an independent criminal investigation. The Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office Forensics Division processed evidence from the scene, and the California Highway Patrol Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team investigated the collision.

The Contra Costa County District Attorney's investigation included interviews with the San Pablo officers involved in the pursuit, examination of physical evidence, review of the collision investigation and observation of Sandoval's autopsy. The coroner investigation was identified as case 21-1088.

The District Attorney's Office subsequently issued its final investigative report on Sandoval's death. The report documents the attempted stop, pursuit, police decision to terminate the pursuit because of Sandoval's speed and heavy traffic, and the fatal collision immediately afterward.

The 02/16/2021 Contra Costa County fatality documented by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System corresponds with the independently documented fatal San Pablo Police Department pursuit involving Ivan Sandoval.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/76163/LEIFISandoval2021-FINAL
https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/76158/INVESTIGATIVE-REPORT_Redacted-Ivan-Sandoval
https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/7853/Law-Enforcement-Fatal-Incident-Reports-L

Jepthah Lal Pan Lian

Age :34

Gender :Male

Race : Native Pacific Islander

Date : 02/13/2021

Location : Unknown

City : Indianapolis

County : Marion

State : Indiana

Agency : Indiana State Police

Officer(s) : Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Bystander killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On February 13, 2021, Aaron Negash, 28, was stopped in a Hyundai SUV on the shoulder of westbound I-70 facing the wrong direction when an Indiana State Police trooper arrived. As the trooper parked in front of the SUV and exited his squad car, Negash drove forward, veering around the police vehicle. He continued driving about a half-mile in the wrong direction before crashing into a Hyundai Sonata occupied by Jepthah Lal Pan Lian, 34, and a passenger. The collision resulted in the deaths of Negash, Lian, and his passenger.

TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 3 fatalities

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/2021/02/13/3-killed-wrong-way-accident-70-just-west-hold-road/4472366001/

Aaron Negash

Age :28

Gender :Male

Race : Black

Date : 02/13/2021

Location : Unknown

City : Indianapolis

County : Marion

State : Indiana

Agency : Indiana State Police

Officer(s) : Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Driver killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On February 13, 2021, Aaron Negash, 28, was stopped in a Hyundai SUV on the shoulder of westbound I-70 facing the wrong direction when an Indiana State Police trooper arrived. As the trooper parked in front of the SUV and exited his squad car, Negash drove forward, veering around the police vehicle. He continued driving about a half-mile in the wrong direction before crashing into a Hyundai Sonata occupied by Jepthah Lal Pan Lian, 34, and a passenger. The collision resulted in the deaths of Negash, Lian, and his passenger.

TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 3 fatalities

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/2021/02/13/3-killed-wrong-way-accident-70-just-west-hold-road/4472366001/

Terrance Valdivia

Age :14

Gender :Male

Race : Black

Date : 02/13/2021

Location : East Palm Drive and Southeast 28th Avenue

City : Homestead

County : Miami-Dade

State : Florida

Agency : Homestead Police Department

Officer(s) : Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Passenger killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

During a police pursuit, a dark-colored sedan carrying four teenagers jumped a curb, plowed through a guardrail, and plunged into the water at East Palm Drive and Southeast 28th Avenue in Homestead, Florida. Terrance Valdivia, 14, along with Jeremiah Calderon, 16, and Rihanna Vargas, 14, were killed in the crash. The 16-year-old driver was the sole survivor of the incident.
TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 3 fatalities

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article249294250.html 

Rihanna Vargas

Age :14

Gender :Female

Race : Latino/a/e

Date : 02/13/2021

Location : East Palm Drive and Southeast 28th Avenue

City : Homestead

County : Miami-Dade

State : Florida

Agency : Homestead Police Department

Officer(s) : Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Passenger killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

During a police pursuit, a dark-colored sedan carrying four teenagers jumped a curb, plowed through a guardrail, and plunged into the water at East Palm Drive and Southeast 28th Avenue in Homestead, Florida. Rihanna Vargas, 14, along with Terrance Valdivia, 14, and Jeremiah Calderon, 16, were killed in the crash. The 16-year-old driver was the sole survivor of the incident.
TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 3 fatalities

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article249294250.html

Jeremiah Calderon

Age :16

Gender :Male

Race : Latino/a/e

Date : 02/13/2021

Location : East Palm Drive and Southeast 28th Avenue

City : Homestead

County : Miami-Dade

State : Florida

Agency : Homestead Police Department

Officer(s) : Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Passenger killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

During a police pursuit, a dark-colored sedan carrying four teenagers jumped a curb, plowed through a guardrail, and plunged into the water at East Palm Drive and Southeast 28th Avenue in Homestead, Florida. Jeremiah Calderon, 16, along with Terrance Valdivia, 14, and Rihanna Vargas, 14, were killed in the crash. The 16-year-old driver was the sole survivor of the incident.
TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 3 fatalities

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article249294250.html