Search fatalities

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REASON FOR POLICE CHASE:
Investigation of an unexplained 911 call. Dispatchers traced a 911 call to the area of Meadowbrook and Basin roads after hearing indistinct voices and engines revving but receiving no response from the caller. Deputy Zac Kindelan located a parked SUV in the area. Police said the vehicle drove away when Kindelan turned around to investigate, and Kindelan activated his emergency lights and siren and attempted to stop it.
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EVENT NARRATIVE:
On 09/18/2021, 27-year-old James A. Black of Phippsburg was killed after crashing his 2007 GMC Envoy into a utility pole during a Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office pursuit in Phippsburg.
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Shortly after 10:00 p.m., the Sagadahoc County Regional Communications Center received a 911 call originating near Meadowbrook and Basin roads. Dispatchers could hear indistinct voices and engines revving but could not get anyone on the line to answer their questions. Authorities later said the call originated from inside the vehicle Black was driving, although they did not establish who placed the call.
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Deputy Zac Kindelan was sent to investigate and located Black’s GMC Envoy parked on Meadowbrook Road. When Kindelan turned his cruiser around to investigate, police said Black drove away. Kindelan activated his emergency lights and siren and attempted to stop the SUV. Black continued driving away while Kindelan pursued.
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During the pursuit, Kindelan reported seeing numerous baggies being thrown from the SUV. Police said pursuit speeds exceeded 60 mph as the vehicles traveled toward Main Road. Investigators later recovered several of the discarded baggies, including at least one containing a white powder, and described the recovered material as illegal contraband.
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Deputy John Dietlin positioned a spike mat near the intersection of Basin Road and Devil’s Highway in an attempt to stop the SUV. Black drove over the device, puncturing and deflating at least one tire, but continued driving. He turned onto Stoneybrook Road and then traveled north on Main Road.
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Shortly afterward, the GMC left the roadway and struck a utility pole near 610 Main Road. Black was alone in the SUV. Emergency personnel extricated him from the wreckage, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
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No PIT/TVI maneuver or intentional contact between a police vehicle and Black’s SUV was reported. The spike mat deployed by Dietlin was the documented police intervention immediately preceding the final portion of the pursuit. Public reporting does not provide the precise distance between the spike deployment and crash, Black’s speed when he lost control, or whether the deflated tire contributed directly to the loss of control.
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Black was a 27-year-old Phippsburg resident. Available contemporary reporting about his death provides little information about his family, occupation, education, interests, or how he was remembered outside the circumstances of the pursuit.
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Maine State Police conducted the crash reconstruction. Contemporary reporting identified Kindelan as the deputy who initiated and continued the pursuit and Dietlin as the deputy who deployed the spike mat.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
Deputy Zac Kindelan was identified as the Sagadahoc County deputy who initiated the pursuit after responding to the unexplained 911 call. Deputy John Dietlin deployed the spike mat that punctured at least one tire on Black’s vehicle.

https://www.centralmaine.com/2021/09/19/phippsburg-man-killed-in-crash-during-high-speed-police-chase/
https://www.pressherald.com/2021/09/19/phippsburg-man-killed-in-crash-during-high-speed-police-chase/
https://spectrumlocalnews.com/me/maine/news/2021/09/20/maine-man-dies-in-police-chase-after-crashing-into-pole
https://www.bangordailynews.com/2021/09/20/midcoast/maine-man-dies-in-police-chase-after-crashing-into-pole/
https://www.wmtw.com/article/suspect-of-high-speed-chase-dies-after-crashing-into-telephone-pole/37654231
https://www.wabi.tv/2021/09/19/suspect-high-speed-chase-dies-after-crashing-into-telephone-pole/
https://www.pressherald.com/2019/07/15/sagadahoc-county-sheriffs-deputy-arrested-charged-with-aggravated-assault-2/
https://www.centralmaine.com/2025/01/15/man-killed-in-crash-after-police-chase-in-woolwich/

On 09/17/2021, 35-year-old New Haven Police Officer Joshua Castellano was killed in Las Vegas when fellow New Haven Police Officer Robert Ferraro crashed a rented 2020 Rolls-Royce Cullinan while driving under the influence. The officers were off duty and vacationing in Las Vegas. Ferraro was later criminally convicted for causing Castellano's death.
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The crash occurred shortly before 4 a.m. at West Spring Mountain Road and South Decatur Boulevard. Ferraro was driving the Rolls-Royce with Castellano and four other passengers. Castellano was seated in the front passenger seat.
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Las Vegas Metropolitan Police investigators determined that Ferraro drove through the intersection at high speed, lost control and struck a Ford Mustang before the Rolls-Royce continued off the roadway, striking palm trees, a light pole, curb and fire hydrant and overturning.
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No one inside the Rolls-Royce was wearing a seat belt. Castellano was ejected as the SUV overturned. He was transported to University Medical Center, where he died from his injuries. Other people in the Rolls-Royce suffered injuries.
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Police observed signs that Ferraro was impaired. He refused to perform field sobriety tests. Investigators subsequently obtained a search warrant and had Ferraro's blood drawn at the Clark County Detention Center.
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Ferraro was arrested and initially charged with DUI resulting in death and reckless driving. New Haven Police placed him on administrative leave while the Nevada criminal case proceeded.
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The criminal case ultimately established that Castellano's death was caused by Ferraro's impaired driving. On 06/20/2023, Ferraro pleaded guilty in Clark County District Court to DUI resulting in death.
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The consequences within the New Haven Police Department were considerably delayed. Ferraro remained employed while the Nevada criminal prosecution was pending. New Haven eventually initiated termination proceedings, but Ferraro resigned in 2023 before the department could fire him. Police Chief Karl Jacobson subsequently said the department was also pursuing Ferraro's decertification as a police officer.
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On 01/09/2024, Clark County District Court Judge Susan Johnson sentenced Ferraro to two to five years in Nevada state prison for DUI resulting in death.
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This case is unusual within the database because Castellano was himself a police officer and his death did not occur during an enforcement encounter. However, it was an unnatural death directly caused by the criminal conduct of another police officer. Ferraro was an active New Haven officer at the time of the crash and was subsequently convicted of causing Castellano's death.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND
Robert Ferraro was the New Haven Police officer driving the Rolls-Royce that killed Castellano. This is not a case in which later reporting merely alleged misconduct by an unidentified officer: Ferraro ultimately pleaded guilty to DUI resulting in death and received a two-to-five-year prison sentence.
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New Haven Police placed Ferraro on administrative leave after his arrest. The department later began proceedings to terminate him, but Ferraro resigned before his firing could be completed. Chief Karl Jacobson said in November 2023 that the department was moving to have Ferraro decertified.
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The broader New Haven Police Department subsequently faced an unrelated but major civil-rights scandal involving Richard “Randy” Cox. In June 2022, Cox was left paralyzed from the chest down after being thrown headfirst into the partition of a police transport van that lacked seat belts. Cox repeatedly told officers he could not move, but officers were accused of failing to provide appropriate assistance and mishandling him after arrival at the police station.
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Five New Haven officers were criminally charged in connection with their treatment of Cox. Four were fired following the department's internal investigation, while another retired during the investigation. New Haven ultimately agreed to a $45 million civil settlement with Cox in 2023, one of the largest police-misconduct settlements in the country at the time.
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The Cox incident occurred after Castellano's death and was wholly unrelated to the Las Vegas crash, but it became a significant later accountability crisis within the same department and resulted in disciplinary action, criminal cases, policy reforms and an extraordinarily large civil settlement.

https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/new-haven-police-officer-arrested-in-las-vegas-after-crash-that-killed-another-officer/2593322/
https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-news-new-haven-officer-crash-death-20210920-wslld3jifvfi5lbptalut2hmiq-story.html
https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/New-Haven-police-officer-Joshua-Castellano-killed-16472437.php
https://www.wfsb.com/2021/09/20/community-mourns-new-haven-police-officer-killed-las-vegas-crash/
https://www.fox61.com/article/news/local/new-haven-officer-killed-las-vegas-crash-police-charges/520-0041876b-d8d0-4e8d-8603-fc7fd53a6a6e
https://www.reviewjournal.com/crime/courts/connecticut-officer-pleads-guilty-to-dui-charge-in-fatal-2021-crash-2797851/
https://www.fox5vegas.com/2024/01/10/connecticut-police-officer-serve-at-least-2-years-deadly-las-vegas-dui-crash/
https://www.ctinsider.com/news/article/new-haven-cop-las-vegas-fatal-crash-quit-18492006.php
https://www.newhavenct.gov/Home/Components/News/News/120/334

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REASON FOR POLICE CHASE:
Reported hit-and-run crash. Shortly after 10:00 p.m., Gloucester Township police received a report of a hit-and-run collision. Two Gloucester Township officers subsequently located the vehicle police believed was involved and attempted to stop its driver.
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EVENT NARRATIVE:
On 09/12/2021, an unidentified male driver died following a Gloucester Township Police Department pursuit that began in Gloucester Township and ended before a four-vehicle crash on Sicklerville Road in Winslow Township.
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Shortly after 10:00 p.m., police received a report of a hit-and-run crash in Gloucester Township. Two Gloucester Township officers subsequently located the vehicle police believed was involved. The officers began pursuing the driver after attempting to stop him. The New Jersey Attorney General's Office did not publicly describe the circumstances of the original collision beyond identifying it as a reported hit-and-run.
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The two officers pursued the vehicle but terminated the chase before the fatal collision. Available public accounts do not give the pursuit's duration, distance or speeds, identify the location where officers terminated it, or state how much time or distance separated the termination from the subsequent crash. No PIT/TVI maneuver, stop sticks, roadblock or police-vehicle contact was publicly reported.
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Soon after police terminated the pursuit, at approximately 10:15 p.m., the driver was traveling southeast on Sicklerville Road in Winslow Township when his vehicle collided with three vehicles traveling in the opposite direction. The sequence resulted in a four-vehicle crash.
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Winslow Township police responded and provided first aid to several injured people until emergency medical personnel arrived. The pursued driver was transported to Jefferson Washington Township Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:57 p.m.
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Three other drivers were injured. One was transported to Cooper University Hospital in critical but stable condition. Two male drivers were transported to Jefferson Washington Township Hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening.
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The New Jersey Attorney General's Office investigated the death under the state's requirement for independent investigation of deaths occurring during encounters with law-enforcement officers. The investigation was subsequently closed without presentation to a grand jury.
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Despite the passage of nearly five years, the driver's identity does not appear to have been publicly released in the official or later reporting located for this reconstruction. Because his identity remains unconfirmed, biographical information about his life, family, occupation or interests cannot reliably be attributed to him.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The two Gloucester Township police officers who initiated the pursuit have not been publicly identified.

https://www.njoag.gov/ags-office-investigating-death-of-driver-in-multi-vehicle-crash-in-winslow-township-that-occurred-shortly-after-police-attempted-to-stop-his-vehicle/
https://nj1015.com/after-fleeing-cops-in-nj-hit-and-run-driver-ends-up-dying-in-another-crash/
https://www.insidernj.com/press-release/ags-office-investigating-death-driver-multi-vehicle-crash-winslow-township-occurred-shortly-police-attempted-stop-vehicle/

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REASON FOR POLICE CHASE:
Reckless driving. At approximately 3:30 a.m., a Lawton Police Department officer attempted to stop a black 2021 Chevrolet Camaro after police said the driver was driving recklessly. Harris continued driving away and the officer pursued.
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EVENT NARRATIVE:
On 09/11/2021, 21-year-old D’Monte L. Harris of Kathleen, Georgia, was killed when the Chevrolet Camaro he was driving crashed during a Lawton Police Department pursuit in Lawton.
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At approximately 3:30 a.m., a Lawton police officer attempted to stop Harris for alleged reckless driving. Harris continued driving away and the officer pursued. Lawton police characterized the chase as a short pursuit.
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Harris drove south on Sheridan Road at what the Oklahoma Highway Patrol described as a high rate of speed. Publicly available reports do not provide a measured maximum speed, the total pursuit distance, or identify the officer driving the pursuing police vehicle. No PIT/TVI maneuver, stop sticks, roadblock, or intentional contact between the police vehicle and Harris's Camaro was reported.
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At approximately 3:35 a.m., Harris lost control of the Camaro while traveling south on Sheridan Road. The car left the roadway, struck a curb and a mailbox, continued south across Jefferson Avenue and struck an embankment.
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The Camaro then overturned and struck a fence, an unoccupied van and a trailer. The vehicle rolled an undetermined number of times before coming to rest upside down. Harris was pronounced dead at the scene.
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Oklahoma Highway Patrol investigated the fatal crash.
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OHP publicly identified Harris three days later as D’Monte L. Harris, 21, of Kathleen, Georgia. Public reporting about his death provides little additional information about his family, work, education, or life in Georgia.
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Lawton police subsequently released dash-camera video of the pursuit in November 2021. The approximately one-minute recording shows Harris's Camaro traveling south on Sheridan Road with the police vehicle following. The Camaro eventually disappears from the dash camera's view, while the impact from the crash can be seen in the distance. The video therefore provides evidence that the pursuing police vehicle was behind Harris rather than physically contacting his Camaro when it crashed.
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The Lawton officer who initiated and participated in the pursuit has not been publicly identified.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The Lawton Police Department officer who initiated and participated in the pursuit has not been publicly identified.

https://kfor.com/news/local/man-killed-in-crash-after-running-from-oklahoma-police/
https://www.koco.com/article/man-dies-after-pursuit-with-lawton-police-officer-ends-in-single-vehicle-crash-ohp-says/37558467
https://www.kswo.com/2021/09/11/one-killed-saturday-morning-crash-lawton/
https://www.kswo.com/2021/09/14/ohp-identifies-man-killed-lawton-crash/
https://www.kswo.com/2021/11/04/lawton-police-release-video-deadly-september-chase-crash/

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REASON FOR POLICE CHASE:
Traffic violation. NYPD officers attempted to stop Tyrik Mott after police observed him run a red light. Mott continued driving away and officers pursued.
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EVENT NARRATIVE:
On 09/11/2021, 3-month-old Apolline Mong-Guillemin was killed during an NYPD pursuit in Brooklyn. Police said Tyrik Mott drove at high speed the wrong way on Gates Avenue while fleeing officers, struck another vehicle at Vanderbilt Avenue, and caused that vehicle to strike Apolline and her parents, Julien Mong and Marion Guillemin. Apolline was killed and her mother suffered severe injuries requiring multiple surgeries.
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Mott had an extensive documented history of dangerous driving before the fatal pursuit. His vehicle had accumulated 106 camera-issued speeding and red-light violations since 2017, and he had previously driven with a suspended license.
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In July 2022, Apolline's parents filed a civil lawsuit against Mott, the City of New York, NYPD, New York City Department of Transportation and other defendants. The family directly challenged NYPD's decision to pursue Mott.
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The lawsuit alleged that unidentified NYPD officers acted with wanton disregard by pursuing Mott after the red-light violation, continued the pursuit when circumstances warranted terminating it, and failed to comply with NYPD pursuit policy. The family alleged that the danger created for pedestrians and other motorists outweighed the need to apprehend Mott immediately.
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The lawsuit separately alleged that New York City had prior notice that the intersection of Vanderbilt and Gates avenues presented a dangerous condition and failed to make it reasonably safe. It also alleged that the city failed to effectively implement its Dangerous Vehicle Abatement program despite Mott's extensive record of camera violations.
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Apolline's mother continued receiving medical treatment for the injuries she suffered in the crash. The family's attorney described her injuries as severe and said they had required multiple surgical procedures.
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Mott was criminally charged with manslaughter and other offenses arising from the fatal crash.

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/brooklyn-police-pursuit-leads-to-fatal-crash-kills-3-month-old/3465932/
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/12/nyregion/brooklyn-pursuit-accident-kills-baby.html
https://brooklynda.org/2021/10/14/driver-charged-with-assault-and-reckless-manslaughter-for-allegedly-striking-3-month-old-baby-and-her-mother-while-driving-the-wrong-way/
https://www.brooklynda.org/2023/06/14/wrong-way-driver-sentenced-to-9-years-in-prison-for-striking-and-killing-three-month-old-baby-seriously-injuring-her-mother/
https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2022/07/20/city-sued-over-killing-of-baby-apolline-by-recidivist-reckless-driver-on-a-dangerous-street/
https://www.timesunion.com/projects/2024/police-pursuits/
https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2022_osi_annual_report.pdf

REASON FOR CHASE: A Seymour Police Department officer observed Hadden leaving the Signal Food Store near U.S. Highway 60 and Loveland Street and alleged that his Chevrolet truck was failing to maintain its lane. The officer activated emergency lights and attempted to stop Hadden. Hadden continued driving and turned onto Oak Lawn Road. Police alleged they discontinued the pursuit because the gravel road, dust and fog made continued pursuit unsafe.
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NARRATIVE:
On 09/10/2021, 17-year-old Zane Daniel Hadden of Seymour was killed when his 2002 Chevrolet truck crashed on Oak Lawn Road approximately two miles east of Seymour following an attempted traffic stop by a Seymour Police Department officer.
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At approximately 1:00 a.m., a Seymour police officer observed Hadden leaving the Signal Food Store near U.S. Highway 60 and Loveland Street and alleged that his truck was failing to maintain its lane. The officer activated the patrol vehicle's emergency lights and attempted to stop him. Hadden continued driving and turned onto Oak Lawn Road.
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Police alleged they discontinued the pursuit after Hadden entered the gravel road. Seymour Police Chief Steven Pogue said the officer considered continued pursuit unsafe because dust from the gravel combined with fog substantially reduced visibility. The Marshfield Mail subsequently reported that approximately 17 minutes elapsed between the original attempted traffic stop and the crash.
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A Webster County sheriff's deputy subsequently located a vehicle matching the description of Hadden's truck. The deputy and Seymour officer traveled down Oak Lawn Road and discovered the Chevrolet engulfed in flames approximately two miles east of Seymour.
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The Missouri State Highway Patrol determined that Hadden had failed to negotiate a curve, left the roadway and struck a fence and large tree. Webster County Coroner Michael Taylor pronounced Hadden dead at approximately 2:30 a.m.
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Hadden was born on 07/16/2004 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, and moved with his family to Seymour in 2017. He attended Seymour schools and worked at the Ozark Hardwood Pellet Factory. His family remembered him for riding dirt bikes, working on his truck and helping friends, relatives and elderly neighbors. His mother, Tina Hadden, said he frequently helped other people without expecting anything in return.
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DISPOSITION:
The available reporting identifies the Seymour Police Department as the agency that initiated the attempted traffic stop. Police alleged they discontinued the pursuit after Hadden turned onto Oak Lawn Road because of unsafe visibility and road conditions. No criminal charges against the officer for initiating the attempted stop or pursuit were located.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The Seymour Police Department did not publicly identify the officer who initiated the traffic stop and pursuit.

https://www.ky3.com/2021/09/16/seymour-mo-teenager-remembered-after-deadly-crash/
https://marshfieldmail.com/stories/tragic-death-of-seymour-17-year-old-leaves-lasting-legacy,64523
https://www.craighurttfuneralhome.com/obituaries/zane-daniel-hadden
https://www.ozarkradionews.com/obits/zane-daniel-hadden

On 09/10/2021, 12-year-old Le’Den Boykins was killed when Georgia State Patrol Trooper David Peterson performed a PIT maneuver at approximately 87 mph on the Kia in which Le’Den was a backseat passenger. The vehicle left Georgia Highway 92, traveled down an embankment and rolled into a ditch. Le’Den was partially ejected and killed. Another child, the driver’s 14-year-old son, was also in the vehicle. A later AJC investigation identified Peterson by name and reconstructed the pursuit from GSP internal-affairs records, pursuit critiques, dispatch recordings and dashcam video.
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The encounter began at approximately 1 a.m. when Peterson stopped the Kia after observing it speeding on Bethel Church Road. Peterson subsequently reported smelling alcohol and observing that the driver had bloodshot eyes. Le’Den was not the driver and was not suspected of any offense.
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The traffic stop became confrontational after the driver did not fully lower his window and asked for a supervisor. Peterson called for backup, and three Paulding County deputies arrived. One deputy, identified by the Boykins family from police records as Unk Myers, broke the driver’s window while officers attempted to remove the driver from the Kia. The driver then drove away, and Peterson and the deputies pursued.
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The pursuit proceeded through residential areas and onto larger roads, at times exceeding 95 mph. The driver called 911 during the pursuit. Dispatch recordings established that Paulding County personnel learned children were inside the fleeing Kia.
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Paulding deputies began coordinating a plan to box the Kia in and force it to slow. Peterson, however, was operating on a different radio frequency and was not communicating directly with the deputies. A Paulding dispatcher contacted the GSP dispatcher by telephone specifically to determine whether Peterson knew children were in the vehicle. The GSP dispatcher said Peterson did not.
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As dispatchers attempted to relay that information, the pursuit entered a construction zone and speeds exceeded 100 mph. Before the information about the children reached Peterson, he performed the PIT maneuver. Later investigation determined the PIT occurred at approximately 87 mph. The Kia went down an embankment and overturned, ejecting Le’Den. Immediately afterward, Peterson radioed, “PIT successful.”
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Peterson later maintained that he had not known children were inside. He told investigators that during the initial stop he could not clearly identify the front-seat passenger and could not see anyone in the back because of the Kia’s window tint. His internal-affairs account stated that his attention had remained focused on the driver.
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Le’Den’s family disputed that account. Their attorney, Lee Merritt, said officers had stood immediately beside the Kia, shined lights inside and had ample opportunity to observe both children before the pursuit. The family also pointed to the 911 and dispatch communications establishing that law enforcement knew children were present while the pursuit was underway.
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GSP conducted an internal investigation and pursuit critique. Peterson’s supervisor determined that his conduct was largely within GSP policy. Peterson received coaching for approaching a vehicle when he could not see its rear seat, failing to fully communicate his actions during the pursuit and inaccurately identifying an observed traffic violation, rather than a suspicious driver, as the reason for the initial stop. He was not disciplined for performing the fatal PIT.
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The driver was criminally prosecuted for Le’Den’s death. In May 2023, he pleaded guilty to first-degree vehicular homicide and aggravated assault on an officer and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. He apologized to Le’Den’s parents during sentencing. Murder charges originally brought against him were resolved through the plea.
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Le’Den’s parents, Toni Franklin and Anthony Boykins, continued seeking accountability from the officers and argued that the pursuit should have been de-escalated rather than terminated with a high-speed PIT. They called for criminal charges against Peterson and the Paulding County officers and sought appointment of a special prosecutor.
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Franklin and Boykins subsequently filed a federal lawsuit against Peterson and the Georgia Department of Public Safety arising from Le’Den’s death. By December 2024, state attorneys were seeking dismissal while the family continued challenging Peterson’s decision to perform the PIT.
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A major 2024 Atlanta Journal-Constitution investigation of GSP pursuits obtained and analyzed thousands of agency pursuit critiques and internal-affairs records. It found that GSP performed more than 2,000 PIT maneuvers from 2019 through 2023 and linked PITs to 19 deaths during that period; nine of those killed were passengers. Most GSP pursuits involving PITs began over traffic infractions.
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The AJC found that GSP policy imposed no maximum speed for PIT maneuvers, did not prohibit PITs when children or other passengers were present, did not require supervisors to participate in the critical PIT decision and permitted pursuits even when a driver could potentially be identified and arrested later. The investigation found GSP performed PITs at speeds exceeding 100 mph.
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The same investigation found that GSP’s internal review process rarely found fault with troopers’ decisions to perform PIT maneuvers, including fatal PITs. Half of GSP pursuits analyzed ended in crashes, and GSP terminated only 17% of pursuits during the five-year period reviewed.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND
David Peterson was the Georgia State Patrol trooper who performed the PIT maneuver that killed Le’Den Boykins. GSP records show Peterson graduated from the 108th Trooper School in May 2020 and was assigned to Post 29 in Paulding County, making him a relatively new trooper when Le’Den was killed in September 2021.
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Le’Den’s fatal pursuit was only Peterson’s second pursuit as a state trooper. Despite the death of a 12-year-old passenger during an approximately 87-mph PIT, GSP’s pursuit critique concluded that Peterson had demonstrated good driving and decision-making. He received coaching for three other issues but was not disciplined for the PIT itself.
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Peterson’s internal account stated that he had not recognized either passenger as a child and had not seen Le’Den in the back seat. Dispatch records independently establish that Paulding County personnel knew children were in the Kia and were attempting to transmit that information to GSP, but Peterson’s radio was on a different frequency and the warning did not reach him before he performed the PIT.
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Unk Myers was identified by Le’Den’s family from Paulding County records as the officer who broke the Kia’s window immediately before the driver left the traffic stop. Three Paulding County deputies participated in the encounter and subsequent pursuit.
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The later AJC investigation found GSP to be an outlier among state patrol agencies in its permissive PIT policy. Of 44 state-police pursuit policies examined, 21 imposed high-speed restrictions and/or required supervisory involvement that GSP did not require. Ten prohibited pursuits for traffic infractions, while GSP allowed both pursuits and PIT maneuvers arising from traffic offenses.
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GSP’s PIT practices continued producing fatalities after Le’Den’s death. The AJC documented 19 deaths associated with GSP PIT maneuvers over the five-year period from 2019 through 2023, including nine passengers, and found that troopers rarely received discipline after fatal PITs.
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In 2026, a separate Georgia Department of Public Safety internal investigation exposed additional misconduct involving GSP PITs. Troopers Hunter Waters, Tyler Byrd and Isaiah Francois were fired after investigators found they sought personal-injury insurance settlements following pursuits in which they intentionally struck vehicles as part of PIT or other pursuit-termination maneuvers. Supervisor Joseph Curlee was also fired after investigators found he knew of the practice, failed to report it and attempted to participate himself. Those troopers were not involved in Le’Den’s death.

https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2024/04/01/advocates-speak-out-after-recent-deadly-police-pursuits-in-metro-atlanta/
https://atlantablackstar.com/2023/01/16/there-are-kids-in-the-car-family-of-12-year-old-killed-during-high-speed-chase-wants-officers-held-accountable-for-violating-pit-maneuver-policy/
https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/leden-boykins-gsp-pit-maneuver-chase-crash-paulding-county
https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/charlie-moore-bond-hearing-georgia-state-patrol-pit-maneuver-ledan-boykins-death
https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/leden-boykins-clayton-county-trooper-crash
https://www.ajc.com/news/crime/man-gets-15-years-for-fleeing-troopers-in-paulding-12-year-old-killed-in-crash/6OFRBGM7AFDZZGYX2XSECQJEGM/
https://www.ajc.com/news/investigations/chases-unchecked-gsp-high-speed-pits-lead-to-death-across-georgia/IGGP2EMTCVAUFNORUBVKF5SWQE/
https://dps.georgia.gov/press-releases/2020-05-14/georgia-state-patrol-graduates-its-108th-trooper-school
https://www.wtoc.com/2026/04/17/pit-pay-georgia-troopers-financially-profited-pursuits-they-initiated-investigation-finds/
https://www.wtoc.com/2026/05/25/four-georgia-state-patrol-troopers-fired-filing-injury-claims-after-pit-maneuvers/

https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2024/04/01/advocates-speak-out-after-recent-deadly-police-pursuits-in-metro-atlanta/

https://atlantablackstar.com/2023/01/16/there-are-kids-in-the-car-family-of-12-year-old-killed-during-high-speed-chase-wants-officers-held-accountable-for-violating-pit-maneuver-policy/

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REASON FOR POLICE CHASE:
Domestic disturbance involving a female passenger reportedly attempting to jump from a moving vehicle. At approximately 12:04 p.m., the Linn County Sheriff’s Office received a report involving a man driving a blue Nissan Altima and a woman inside the vehicle attempting to jump out. A deputy located the Altima traveling at excessive speed and attempted to stop it.
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EVENT NARRATIVE:
On 09/08/2021, 35-year-old Leo Alan Ray of Cedar Rapids was killed with his passenger, 35-year-old Stacey Lynn Watts, after Ray crashed into an oncoming dump truck shortly after a Linn County sheriff’s deputy terminated a police pursuit north of Walford.
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At approximately 12:04 p.m., the sheriff’s office received a domestic-disturbance call near 80th Street and Iowa Highway 100. The caller reported a man driving a blue Nissan Altima with a female passenger who was attempting to jump from the vehicle.
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At approximately 12:23 p.m., a Linn County deputy located the Altima traveling south on 80th Street north of E Avenue. The deputy reported that it was traveling at excessive speed and confirmed that the female passenger was still inside. The deputy activated the squad car’s emergency lights and attempted to stop the Altima. Ray continued driving away while the deputy pursued.
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The pursuit continued south on 80th Street to East Cemetery Road in Fairfax and then onto southbound U.S. Highway 151. At approximately 12:27 p.m., about four minutes after initially locating the Altima, the deputy determined that Ray’s driving had become too dangerous and terminated the pursuit near U.S. 151 and Wright Brothers Boulevard.
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Approximately one minute after terminating the pursuit, the deputy saw debris flying into the air farther south on U.S. 151 and proceeded to the crash scene. Ray had lost control of the Altima near the 300 block of U.S. 151, crossed the center line into opposing traffic and collided nearly head-on with a northbound Kenworth dump truck.
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Ray and Watts were both ejected from the Altima and pronounced dead at the scene. The dump-truck driver survived.
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Available reporting does not provide a measured maximum pursuit speed beyond describing the Altima as traveling at excessive speed when the deputy first encountered it. No PIT/TVI maneuver, stop sticks, roadblock or intentional police-vehicle contact was reported. The deputy had terminated the pursuit approximately one minute before the crash.
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The Iowa State Patrol investigated the fatal collision.
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Public reporting identifies Ray as a 35-year-old Cedar Rapids resident but provides little reliable biographical information about his life outside the circumstances surrounding the fatal encounter.
.
OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The Linn County sheriff’s deputy who initiated and terminated the pursuit has not been publicly identified.

https://www.thegazette.com/crashes/2-cedar-rapids-residents-killed-in-walford-accident-following-police-chase/
https://www.kcrg.com/2021/09/08/two-killed-walford-crash-collision-happened-shortly-after-deputy-quit-chase-vehicle/
https://apnews.com/article/police-iowa-e4dee22543693c596c1bdb8b0c46d44b
https://www.kimt.com/news/iowa/sheriffs-office-says-two-people-killed-after-police-pursuit/article_03e37ebc-48c3-11ec-b1bb-2f3a1fc68d19.html
https://www.thegazette.com/crashes/2-killed-in-collision-with-dump-truck-near-walford/
https://www.thegazette.com/crime-courts/two-cedar-rapids-people-identified-in-walford-double-fatality/
https://www.kcrg.com/2021/09/08/fatal-crash-closes-hwy-151-north-walford/
https://www.wowt.com/2021/09/11/iowa-police-chase-ends-with-two-dead/
https://www.kcci.com/article/iowa-sheriff-two-killed-in-crash-after-police-pursuit/37526954
https://www.thegazette.com/obituaries/stacey-lynn-watts/

.
REASON FOR POLICE CHASE:
Domestic disturbance involving Stacey Lynn Watts reportedly attempting to jump from a moving vehicle. Shortly after noon, the Linn County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a blue Nissan Altima with a male driver and a female passenger who was reportedly trying to jump from the vehicle. A deputy later located the Altima traveling at excessive speed with Watts still inside and attempted to stop it.
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EVENT NARRATIVE:
On 09/08/2021, 35-year-old Stacey Lynn Watts of Cedar Rapids was killed while riding as a passenger in a Nissan Altima pursued by a Linn County sheriff’s deputy north of Walford. Watts was the woman at the center of the original call for police assistance: authorities said she was reportedly attempting to jump from the moving car during a domestic disturbance.
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Shortly after noon, the Linn County Sheriff’s Office received the domestic-disturbance report near 80th Street and Iowa Highway 100. The caller reported a man driving a blue Nissan Altima with a female passenger reportedly trying to jump from the vehicle.
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A deputy located the Altima traveling south on 80th Street and observed that Watts remained inside. The deputy activated the squad car’s emergency lights and attempted to stop the vehicle. The driver continued driving away while the deputy pursued south on 80th Street, onto East Cemetery Road in Fairfax and then toward southbound U.S. Highway 151.
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The deputy determined that the Altima was being driven too recklessly to safely continue the pursuit and terminated the chase near U.S. Highway 151 and Wright Brothers Boulevard. No PIT/TVI maneuver, stop sticks, roadblock or intentional police-vehicle contact was reported. Available reporting does not provide the Altima’s measured maximum speed.
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Approximately one minute after terminating the pursuit, the deputy saw debris flying into the air farther south. The deputy proceeded toward the debris and discovered that the Altima had gone out of control near the 300 block of U.S. Highway 151, crossed into the opposing lane and collided nearly head-on with a northbound Kenworth dump truck.
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Watts and the driver were ejected from the Altima and pronounced dead at the scene. The dump-truck driver was not injured. The Iowa State Patrol investigated the fatal collision.
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Watts had turned 35 only three days before her death. She was born on 09/05/1986 in Le Mars, Iowa, and lived in Cedar Rapids. Her family included her parents, birth mother, seven siblings and numerous nieces, nephews and extended relatives. She had previously endured the deaths of two infant children, Haley Stevens and Alex Stevens. Her family held a memorial service and Celebration of Life at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Cedar Rapids on 09/24/2021.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The Linn County sheriff’s deputy who initiated and subsequently terminated the pursuit has not been publicly identified.

https://www.thegazette.com/crashes/2-cedar-rapids-residents-killed-in-walford-accident-following-police-chase/
https://www.kcrg.com/2021/09/08/two-killed-walford-crash-collision-happened-shortly-after-deputy-quit-chase-vehicle/
https://apnews.com/article/police-iowa-e4dee22543693c596c1bdb8b0c46d44b
https://www.kimt.com/news/iowa/sheriffs-office-says-two-people-killed-after-police-pursuit/article_03e37ebc-48c3-11ec-b1bb-2f3a1fc68d19.html
https://www.thegazette.com/crashes/2-killed-in-collision-with-dump-truck-near-walford/
https://www.thegazette.com/crime-courts/two-cedar-rapids-people-identified-in-walford-double-fatality/
https://www.kcrg.com/2021/09/08/fatal-crash-closes-hwy-151-north-walford/
https://www.wowt.com/2021/09/11/iowa-police-chase-ends-with-two-dead/
https://www.kcci.com/article/iowa-sheriff-two-killed-in-crash-after-police-pursuit/37526954
https://www.thegazette.com/obituaries/stacey-lynn-watts/

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REASON FOR POLICE CHASE:
Not disclosed. Wisconsin State Patrol pursued Brown on eastbound I-94, but State Patrol, the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office and Milwaukee police did not publicly disclose why troopers initially attempted to stop his vehicle. Contemporary reporting specifically noted that investigators had not said why the pursuit began.
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EVENT NARRATIVE:
On 09/08/2021, 26-year-old Akiem Brown of Milwaukee was killed when the vehicle he was driving crashed following a Wisconsin State Patrol pursuit on I-94 in Milwaukee. Two passengers in Brown’s vehicle were injured.
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The pursuit began on I-94 and continued eastbound. Available public reporting does not disclose the location where State Patrol first encountered Brown, the reason troopers attempted to stop him, the pursuit’s duration or distance, or the maximum speeds reached by Brown or pursuing troopers. No PIT/TVI maneuver, stop sticks, roadblock or intentional police-vehicle contact was publicly reported.
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At approximately 7:25 p.m., the pursuit reached the area of South 70th Street and West Kearney Street near I-94. Police dispatch audio recorded an officer reporting that a car had attempted to get away from him and requesting additional squads and medical assistance at 70th and Kearney.
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Brown’s vehicle was involved in a three-vehicle collision. Brown suffered fatal injuries. Two passengers riding with him were seriously injured but survived; Milwaukee police subsequently described their injuries as non-life-threatening. The publicly available reporting does not provide a complete crash reconstruction establishing the sequence in which the three vehicles collided.
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The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner identified Brown the following day as the 26-year-old driver who died in the crash.
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Brown’s family gathered for a vigil at the crash scene. A family member described Brown as someone who was always there for his family and friends and called him his “best little brother.” His relatives acknowledged that Brown had made a mistake but said they wanted to know the full truth about what happened during the pursuit.
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Brown had previously attended Milwaukee King High School and played varsity football there.
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At the time of Brown’s death, Wisconsin State Patrol had already conducted 131 pursuits during 2021, compared with 147 during all of 2020. State Patrol told TMJ4 that Brown’s pursuit was its first pursuit during September.
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The Milwaukee Police Department took responsibility for investigating the fatal crash. Brown’s family continued to seek answers about the circumstances preceding his death.
.
OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The Wisconsin State Patrol trooper or troopers who initiated and participated in the pursuit have not been publicly identified.

https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/1-killed-2-seriously-injured-in-crash-on-i-94-after-chase-with-wisconsin-state-patrol-sheriffs-office-says
https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/neighbors-react-after-deadly-police-chase-crash-ends-near-i-94
https://www.fox6now.com/news/pursuit-crash-closes-i-94-70th
https://www.wisn.com/article/pursuit-ends-in-fatal-crash/37520858

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REASON FOR POLICE CHASE:
Expired vehicle registration. Garland Police Officer Ryan Kelly stopped a black Honda Accord because its registration sticker was expired. While Kelly was checking the driver's information, police said officers observed evidence of narcotics inside the vehicle. Before officers could investigate further, the driver drove away at high speed and Kelly pursued.
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EVENT NARRATIVE:
On 09/06/2021, 28-year-old Karla Marbel Rico was killed when a Honda Accord being pursued by Garland police ran a red light and crashed into her Toyota at West Miller Road and South Garland Avenue. Rico's 10-year-old son Matthew was riding with her and was critically injured. The family's dog, Apollo, was also killed.
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Shortly after 3:30 p.m., Officer Ryan Kelly stopped the Honda near Shiloh Road and Northwest Highway for an expired registration sticker. Three people were inside. During the stop, police reported seeing evidence of narcotics in the vehicle. Kelly was verifying the driver's information when the driver suddenly drove away.
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Kelly pursued in his patrol vehicle, and other Garland officers joined the pursuit. Dash-camera and body-camera recordings later introduced at trial documented the chase. Kelly can be heard reporting that the Honda was exceeding 90 mph, running red lights and crossing into opposing traffic lanes. The Dallas County District Attorney's Office later reported that the Honda averaged approximately 99 mph during the pursuit.
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The Honda traveled approximately three miles north on Garland Avenue. Police initially reported that officers attempting to catch it lost sight of the vehicle. Other officers working an unrelated call near Axe Drive and Garland Avenue then saw it pass at high speed.
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As the Honda approached the red light at West Miller Road and South Garland Avenue, another Garland officer positioned near the intersection saw it approaching at high speed. That officer activated the patrol vehicle's emergency lights and siren in an attempt to warn motorists at the intersection.
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The Honda entered the intersection against the red light and struck Rico's silver Toyota as she traveled west on Miller Road. The impact killed Rico. The Honda then struck a black Honda CR-V that had been stopped at the red light. The CR-V driver suffered cuts and other minor injuries.
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Rico's 10-year-old son Matthew suffered critical injuries and was hospitalized. The family's dog, Apollo, died in the collision. The three people riding in the pursued Honda were also hospitalized.
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No PIT/TVI maneuver, stop sticks or intentional police-vehicle contact immediately preceding the collision was identified in the court record. The later criminal proceedings produced substantial video evidence of the pursuit, including Kelly's body-camera and dashboard-camera recordings and surveillance-camera recordings from businesses along the route.
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Rico was born on 10/01/1992 in the State of Mexico, Mexico. She was married to Florencio and was the mother of Matthew. Her parents were Carlos and Maribel, and she had four sisters, Tania, Lizbeth, Vivian and Fatima. Her family buried her at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Rowlett after a funeral Mass at Good Shepherd Catholic Church.
.
The pursued driver was convicted of murder. In September 2022, a Dallas County jury found him guilty after approximately 20 minutes of deliberation and sentenced him to life in prison. The prosecution was the first trial handled by the Dallas County District Attorney's newly created Vehicular Crimes Unit.
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The driver appealed his murder conviction, challenging the admission of several surveillance-camera recordings used at trial. On 02/20/2024, the Texas Fifth Court of Appeals rejected those challenges, modified an unrelated portion of the judgment concerning enhancement findings, and otherwise affirmed the murder conviction. The appellate court emphasized that properly admitted police body-camera and dashboard-camera recordings depicted the pursuit in greater detail than the challenged surveillance recordings.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
Garland Police Officer Ryan Kelly initiated the traffic stop and pursued after the driver fled. Kelly's body-camera and dashboard-camera recordings became important evidence in the subsequent murder prosecution. No verified prior fatal shooting, fatal pursuit, excessive-force finding, criminal charge, or significant disciplinary history involving Kelly was identified in the public records reviewed for this reconstruction.

https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/crime/texas-woman-killed-son-injured-after-chase-suspect-runs-red-light-in-garland-police-say/287-ac07608a-8c9e-4031-aef2-bf5630799d2e
https://www.garlandpolice.com/m/newsflash/home/detail/2286
https://www.garlandtx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/10736/P-2021-09-61-Charges-Filed-Against-Man-who-Caused-Fatality-Crash-and-Injury-to-Child
https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2021/09/07/man-faces-charges-after-garland-police-say-he-caused-fatal-crash-while-fleeing-officers/
https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/mother-killed-son-critically-injured-suspect-red-light-garland-texas/
https://www.univision.com/local/dallas-kuvn/esto-se-sabe-de-la-muerte-de-karla-rico-accidente-bobby-lee-murphy-garland
https://law.justia.com/cases/texas/fifth-court-of-appeals/2024/05-22-00950-cr.html

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REASON FOR POLICE CHASE:
Speeding. A Yorkville Police Department officer observed Nathaniel Harvey Sr. riding his motorcycle 18 mph above the posted speed limit on Oriskany Boulevard near the Yorkville–Whitesboro boundary. The officer made a U-turn, caught up with Harvey and activated the patrol vehicle's emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop.
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EVENT NARRATIVE:
On 09/05/2021, 45-year-old Nathaniel Harvey Sr. was killed when he crashed his motorcycle on Oriskany Boulevard in the Village of Whitesboro while a Yorkville Police Department officer was pursuing him after attempting to stop him for speeding.
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The encounter began on Oriskany Boulevard near the boundary between Yorkville and Whitesboro. A later New York State review of police pursuits established that the Yorkville officer observed Harvey traveling 18 mph above the posted speed limit. The officer made a U-turn, caught up with Harvey and activated the patrol vehicle's emergency lights.
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Harvey initially slowed after the officer activated the emergency lights. He then accelerated and continued driving west into Whitesboro while the Yorkville officer pursued him. The later state account indicates that the officer was unable to keep pace with Harvey's motorcycle.
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Harvey subsequently lost control of the motorcycle on Oriskany Boulevard between Clinton Street and Westmoreland Street and struck a utility pole. He was thrown from the motorcycle onto a roadway running parallel to Oriskany Boulevard and died from his injuries.
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No police vehicle was reported to have struck Harvey or his motorcycle. No PIT/TVI maneuver, stop sticks, roadblock or other vehicle-intervention tactic was reported. The available records do not provide Harvey's maximum speed, the police vehicle's maximum speed, the precise duration or distance of the pursuit, or the distance separating the officer and Harvey immediately before the crash.
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The involvement of neighboring police agencies initially created confusion about responsibility for the pursuit. Whitesboro Police Department subsequently issued a statement specifically stating that none of its officers participated in either the attempted traffic stop or the pursuit. Whitesboro officers assisted at the crash scene and secured it. The pursuit was conducted by the Yorkville Police Department.
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Whitesboro police also stated that their department was not conducting the investigation into the cause of Harvey's crash. The death received further state review and was subsequently included in New York's examination of police vehicle pursuits.
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Harvey was 45 and was identified as a Black man. Available public reporting about the fatal pursuit provides little additional reliable biographical information about his family, occupation, interests or life outside the encounter.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The Yorkville Police Department officer who attempted to stop and pursued Nathaniel Harvey Sr. has not been publicly identified.

https://www.uticaod.com/story/news/2021/09/05/whitesboro-police-pursuit-fatal-crash/8289049002/
https://www.syracuse.com/crime/2021/09/motorcyclist-killed-after-fleeing-police-in-whitesboro.html
https://wibx950.com/whitesboro-police-release-statement-on-fatal-labor-day-weekend-motorcycle-crash/
https://fatalencounters.org/view/person-csv/csv/?pagenum=62

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REASON WHY PURSUIT WAS INITIATED:
At 1:41 a.m., Eden Prairie Police responded to a 911 report of multiple vehicles street racing near Flying Cloud Drive and Crosstown Circle. Police said several vehicles drove away as officers arrived and officers initiated a pursuit of the vehicle in which 19-year-old Marina Emms was riding as a passenger.
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OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY:
On 09/05/2021, Marina was a passenger in a vehicle driven by 19-year-old Devlyn Voss when Eden Prairie Police pursued the vehicle from Eden Prairie into Minnetonka. The pursuit continued along Highway 62 and onto Baker Road. Police described it as a short pursuit but did not publicly specify the speeds reached, exact duration or pursuing officer's speed.
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Police said officers lost sight of the vehicle shortly after it passed beneath Interstate 494. Officers subsequently found it crashed near a residence in the 5300 block of Baker Road. Devlyn died at the scene. Marina survived the initial crash and was transported to a hospital, but died later that Sunday. No other vehicles were involved.
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A nearby resident said he heard police sirens coming down Baker Road and approximately five seconds later heard the crash. As many as 100 people subsequently gathered at the crash location to mourn the two 19-year-olds.
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Marina had graduated from Woodbury High School in 2020. She had been a varsity gymnast, a varsity cheerleader for the Woodbury Royals football team and a photographer. She loved horses, dogs, fashion and the outdoors and was particularly attached to her dog Winston. Her family remembered her for her magnetic personality, kindness and smile.
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Marina's mother, Laura Emms, emphasized that her daughter was an innocent passenger. Her parents described Marina as a special young woman who drew people toward her. Laura said she hoped Marina's death would cause young people involved with street racing to reconsider the danger, while also pleading that people remember her daughter rather than allowing her to become simply another fatality associated with street racing.
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Friends described Marina and Devlyn as “gentle souls.” Marina left behind her parents, Thomas and Laura Emms, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. Her family held a celebration of her life on 09/15/2021 before she was laid to rest at Roselawn Cemetery.
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DISPOSITION:
The Minnesota State Patrol led the crash reconstruction investigation with assistance from the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office. No Eden Prairie Police officer was criminally charged for an officer's role in initiating or continuing the pursuit.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The Eden Prairie Police Department did not publicly identify the officer or officers who initiated and participated in the fatal pursuit.

https://kstp.com/kstp-news/top-news/19-year-old-victims-identified-in-fatal-west-metro-crash/
https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-news/families-id-19-year-olds-killed-in-crash-during-police-pursuit-from-eden-prairie-to-minnetonka
https://www.edenprairiemn.gov/Home/Components/News/News/10353/282?arch=1
https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/1-dead-1-hospitalized-after-vehicle-fleeing-street-race-crashes-in-minnetonka/
https://www.fox9.com/news/man-killed-in-crash-after-eden-prairie-police-respond-to-reports-of-street-racers
https://www.muellerbies.com/obituaries/marinaemms

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REASON WHY PURSUIT WAS INITIATED:
At 1:41 a.m., Eden Prairie Police responded to a 911 report that multiple vehicles were street racing near Flying Cloud Drive and Crosstown Circle. Police said several vehicles drove away as officers arrived and officers initiated a pursuit of the vehicle driven by 19-year-old Devlyn Voss.
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OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY:
On 09/05/2021, Eden Prairie Police pursued Voss from Eden Prairie into Minnetonka. The pursuit traveled along Highway 62 and onto Baker Road. Police described it as a “short pursuit,” but the publicly released account does not specify the pursuing officer's speed, Voss's speed, the precise duration of the pursuit, or the distance between the police vehicle and Voss's vehicle.
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Police said officers lost sight of Voss's vehicle shortly after it passed beneath Interstate 494 on Baker Road. A short time later, officers discovered the vehicle crashed near a residential property in the 5300 block of Baker Road. The crash involved no other vehicle. Voss died at the scene, while his passenger and friend, 19-year-old Marina Emms, was critically injured and transported to a hospital, where she died later that day.
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A resident near the crash scene reported hearing police sirens traveling down Baker Road and said that approximately five seconds later he heard a large impact. The account provides important context to the police statement that officers had lost sight of Voss before the crash.
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Devlyn had turned 19 only six weeks before his death. His family remembered him for his kind and caring personality, contagious smile and sense of humor. He loved cars, hockey, baseball and Lego, and his obituary specifically noted his enthusiasm for learning his trade. He was deeply connected to his parents, grandparents, extended family, friends and girlfriend.
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Friends defended Devlyn after his death against people who blamed him for the crash. Kendal Pooler said people making those judgments did not know him personally and described Devlyn as someone who was consistently there for other people. Friends who knew both Devlyn and Marina described them as “gentle souls.”
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As many as 100 people gathered at the crash site the following day to mourn Devlyn and Marina. Devlyn's family released a statement expressing gratitude for the support both families were receiving and emphasizing that they were grieving the loss of two young people rather than assigning blame while processing their deaths.
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DISPOSITION:
The Minnesota State Patrol led the crash reconstruction investigation with assistance from the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office. No Eden Prairie Police officer was criminally charged for an officer's role in initiating or continuing the pursuit.
.
OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The Eden Prairie Police Department did not publicly identify the officer or officers who initiated and participated in the fatal pursuit.

https://kstp.com/kstp-news/top-news/19-year-old-victims-identified-in-fatal-west-metro-crash/
https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-news/families-id-19-year-olds-killed-in-crash-during-police-pursuit-from-eden-prairie-to-minnetonka
https://www.edenprairiemn.gov/Home/Components/News/News/10353/282?arch=1
https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/1-dead-1-hospitalized-after-vehicle-fleeing-street-race-crashes-in-minnetonka/
https://www.fox9.com/news/man-killed-in-crash-after-eden-prairie-police-respond-to-reports-of-street-racers
https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/st-paul-mn/devlyn-voss-10340208
 

On 09/04/2021, at approximately 2:35 p.m., 52-year-old Steven R. Johnson of Bryan was riding as a passenger in a pickup truck traveling west on U.S. Route 24 through Richland Township in Defiance County. At the same time, Ohio State Highway Patrol Sgt. Fernando Chavez was conducting a traffic stop on the right shoulder between Jewell and Independence roads. Chavez had stopped another vehicle for speeding and was inside his marked patrol cruiser writing the driver a citation. The cruiser's emergency lights were activated.
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According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the pickup driven by 28-year-old Justin R. Johnson traveled off the right side of the highway and struck the rear of Chavez's stationary patrol cruiser. The force of the collision pushed the cruiser forward into the vehicle Chavez had stopped.
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Steven Johnson suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene. Justin Johnson sustained life-threatening injuries and was flown to ProMedica Toledo Hospital. Sgt. Chavez was transported to ProMedica Defiance Regional Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver and passenger of the vehicle Chavez had stopped were also transported to the hospital for possible injuries. The collision therefore killed Steven and injured four other people.
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The westbound lanes of U.S. 24 were closed for approximately one hour and then restricted to one lane while investigators worked at the scene. The roadway was fully reopened approximately three hours after the crash.
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Unlike many police-vehicle fatalities, this crash did not involve a pursuit, emergency response or moving police cruiser. Chavez's cruiser was stationary on the shoulder with its emergency lights activated when the pickup struck it from behind. The Ohio State Highway Patrol attributed the collision to the pickup driver failing to move over or slow down for the roadside traffic stop. The crash was later specifically cited by the Ohio Department of Transportation and OSHP in a statewide campaign urging motorists to comply with Ohio's Move Over law.
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DISPOSITION:
The available reporting identifies the crash as a failure-to-move-over collision. No criminal charge against Sgt. Fernando Chavez resulted from Steven Johnson's death.
.
OFFICER BACKGROUND:
Sgt. Fernando Chavez was the Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper conducting the traffic stop when his stationary cruiser was struck. Chavez sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the collision. The Ohio Department of Transportation subsequently identified Chavez by name when using the crash to illustrate the dangers police, emergency personnel and roadside workers face from passing vehicles.

https://www.wane.com/top-stories/defiance-driver-fails-to-move-over-or-slow-down-causes-fatal-crash/

https://www.wtol.com/article/news/local/man-dies-4-others-taken-to-hospital-after-pickup-strikes-police-cruiser-and-another-car/512-905fd5a0-3dcc-46df-aa21-2817ee11f672

https://www.13abc.com/2021/09/05/driver-doesnt-move-over-traffic-stop-causes-fatal-crash-state-troopers-say/

https://www.fox19.com/2021/09/05/troopers-stress-importance-move-over-slow-down-law/

On 09/03/2021, at approximately 4:00 a.m., a Lawrence Police Department officer attempted to stop a Kia Soul for driving without headlights and displaying expired registration near Pendleton Pike and Mitthoeffer Road in Lawrence. The driver, later identified as 14-year-old Nazire Parks, continued driving away and officers pursued the vehicle.
The pursuit continued for more than 30 miles through Marion, Hamilton, and Boone counties. According to a later federal lawsuit filed by the families of two of the children, Lawrence police supervisors ordered the pursuit terminated after it reached Interstate 65. The lawsuit alleges that three officers turned off their emergency lights and sirens but continued following the Kia until it crashed. Lawrence Police have maintained that the officers were no longer engaged in an active pursuit at the time of the collision and that their actions complied with department policy. No officers were disciplined.
Near the intersection of State Road 32 and County Road 650 East in Boone County, the Kia left the roadway and struck a tree. Nazire Parks, who was driving, and front-seat passenger Kamyla Young, 13, died from their injuries. Four other juveniles in the vehicle were injured, including Janiya Young, who placed a 911 call during the chase telling dispatchers the driver was afraid to stop because he believed police would shoot him.
The Boone County Sheriff's Office investigated the crash with assistance from the Indiana State Police. Lawrence Police Chief Gary Woodruff stated that officers were found to have acted within department policy and that no disciplinary action was taken.
In June 2023, the families of Nazire Parks and Kamyla Young filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the City of Lawrence and three Lawrence police officers. The lawsuit alleges the officers acted recklessly by continuing the pursuit after being ordered to terminate it and that their conduct caused the fatal crash. As part of the litigation, attorneys cited radio traffic, dispatch recordings, and the prolonged length of the pursuit.
An Indiana public-records dispute later confirmed that Lawrence Police withheld investigative reports, body-camera recordings, dash-camera recordings, and other materials while the investigation remained active. The department released its pursuit policy but declined to release most investigative records at that time.

https://www.wthr.com/article/news/crime/police-identify-teenagers-killed-in-crash-after-police-chase-nazire-parks-kamyla-young-lawrence-boone-county/531-8ce42cad-f95a-468d-8de8-924254a5db71
https://www.wthr.com/article/news/crime/a-look-at-lawrence-pd-chase-policy-following-crash-that-killed-two-teenagers-indianapolis-indiana-boone-county/531-8647262c-a302-4eab-9091-f4bb8c2fbb83
https://www.wrtv.com/news/public-safety/families-sue-lawrence-police-officers-over-2021-chase-that-killed-4-teens-injured-4-others

On 09/03/2021, at approximately 4:00 a.m., a Lawrence Police Department officer attempted to stop a Kia Soul for driving without headlights and displaying expired registration near Pendleton Pike and Mitthoeffer Road in Lawrence. The driver, later identified as 14-year-old Nazire Parks, continued driving away and officers pursued the vehicle.
The pursuit continued for more than 30 miles through Marion, Hamilton, and Boone counties. According to a later federal lawsuit filed by the families of two of the children, Lawrence police supervisors ordered the pursuit terminated after it reached Interstate 65. The lawsuit alleges that three officers turned off their emergency lights and sirens but continued following the Kia until it crashed. Lawrence Police have maintained that the officers were no longer engaged in an active pursuit at the time of the collision and that their actions complied with department policy. No officers were disciplined.
Near the intersection of State Road 32 and County Road 650 East in Boone County, the Kia left the roadway and struck a tree. Nazire Parks, who was driving, and front-seat passenger Kamyla Young, 13, died from their injuries. Four other juveniles in the vehicle were injured, including Janiya Young, who placed a 911 call during the chase telling dispatchers the driver was afraid to stop because he believed police would shoot him.
The Boone County Sheriff's Office investigated the crash with assistance from the Indiana State Police. Lawrence Police Chief Gary Woodruff stated that officers were found to have acted within department policy and that no disciplinary action was taken.
In June 2023, the families of Nazire Parks and Kamyla Young filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the City of Lawrence and three Lawrence police officers. The lawsuit alleges the officers acted recklessly by continuing the pursuit after being ordered to terminate it and that their conduct caused the fatal crash. As part of the litigation, attorneys cited radio traffic, dispatch recordings, and the prolonged length of the pursuit.
An Indiana public-records dispute later confirmed that Lawrence Police withheld investigative reports, body-camera recordings, dash-camera recordings, and other materials while the investigation remained active. The department released its pursuit policy but declined to release most investigative records at that time.

https://www.wthr.com/article/news/crime/police-identify-teenagers-killed-in-crash-after-police-chase-nazire-parks-kamyla-young-lawrence-boone-county/531-8ce42cad-f95a-468d-8de8-924254a5db71
https://www.wthr.com/article/news/crime/a-look-at-lawrence-pd-chase-policy-following-crash-that-killed-two-teenagers-indianapolis-indiana-boone-county/531-8647262c-a302-4eab-9091-f4bb8c2fbb83
https://www.wrtv.com/news/public-safety/families-sue-lawrence-police-officers-over-2021-chase-that-killed-4-teens-injured-4-others

On 09/03/2021, 14-year-old Marcoz Paramo was killed when a stolen vehicle carrying six teenagers crashed into a residential yard near Larpenteur Avenue East and Chamber Street during a pursuit by Ramsey County sheriff’s deputies.

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At approximately 3:40 p.m., a Ramsey County deputy spotted the stolen vehicle near Beebe Road North and Holloway Avenue East and attempted to stop it. The driver continued driving away southbound on Beebe Road, and deputies pursued.

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The pursuit covered approximately two miles in about two minutes. The vehicle turned west onto Larpenteur Avenue. The pursuing deputy reported losing sight of it near Clarence Street.

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Approximately three blocks later, the vehicle left the roadway and crashed into a residential yard near Larpenteur Avenue and Chamber Street. Paramo and 15-year-old passenger Alyjah Thomas were critically injured and died. Two other teenagers were seriously injured. Three teenagers ran from the crash; the 15-year-old driver was subsequently arrested.

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The Minnesota State Patrol conducted the crash reconstruction. The 15-year-old driver was charged with two counts of criminal vehicular homicide, one count of fleeing a peace officer and three counts of criminal vehicular operation.

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The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office released dashcam footage on 10/08/2021. The video showed the sheriff’s cruiser pursuing the vehicle on Larpenteur Avenue before the fatal crash.

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Paramo’s mother, Tanya Gile, directly blamed the sheriff’s pursuit for her son’s death. She said she did not want the teenage driver blamed for killing her son and stated that Paramo and Thomas would still be alive if deputies had not pursued the car.

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Gile also challenged the Sheriff’s Office over its pursuit policy and called for changes governing pursuits involving juveniles. She questioned why deputies continued a high-speed pursuit of a stolen vehicle containing teenagers when no violent offense had prompted the stop.

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Gile additionally questioned the emergency response after dispatch audio showed that an initial request for an ambulance was canceled. She said she believed that decision may have affected her son’s chance of survival.

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Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher rejected Gile’s criticism and placed responsibility for the deaths on the teenage driver.

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OFFICER BACKGROUND:

The Ramsey County deputy or deputies who conducted the pursuit were not publicly identified in the sources located for this update.

https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/this-didnt-have-to-happen-two-teenagers-die-in-maplewood-police-chase/

https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/ramsey-co-sheriffs-office-releases-dash-cam-footage-of-fatal-incidents-in-mounds-view-maplewood/

https://kstp.com/kstp-news/top-news/family-identifies-victim-in-fatal-stolen-car-crash-in-maplewood/

https://www.fox9.com/news/sheriff-releases-video-of-deadly-chase-in-maplewood-minn

https://www.startribune.com/two-teens-killed-in-maplewood-crash-identified/600094093

On 09/03/2021, 15-year-old Alyjah Thomas was killed when a stolen vehicle carrying six teenagers crashed into a residential yard near Larpenteur Avenue East and Chamber Street during a pursuit by Ramsey County sheriff’s deputies.

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At approximately 3:40 p.m., a Ramsey County deputy spotted the stolen vehicle near Beebe Road North and Holloway Avenue East and attempted to stop it. The driver continued driving away southbound on Beebe Road, and deputies pursued.

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The pursuit covered approximately two miles in about two minutes. The vehicle turned west onto Larpenteur Avenue. The pursuing deputy reported losing sight of it near Clarence Street.

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Approximately three blocks later, the vehicle left the roadway and crashed into a residential yard near Larpenteur Avenue and Chamber Street. Thomas and 14-year-old passenger Marcoz Paramo were critically injured and died. Two other teenagers were seriously injured.

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The Minnesota State Patrol conducted the crash reconstruction. The 15-year-old driver was subsequently arrested and charged with two counts of criminal vehicular homicide, one count of fleeing a peace officer and three counts of criminal vehicular operation.

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The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office released dashcam footage on 10/08/2021 showing the sheriff’s cruiser pursuing the vehicle along Larpenteur Avenue before the fatal crash.

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The families publicly questioned the decision to conduct the pursuit. Paramo’s mother, Tanya Gile, explicitly blamed the sheriff’s deputies rather than the teenage driver for the deaths and called for changes to pursuit practices involving juveniles.

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OFFICER BACKGROUND:

The Ramsey County deputy or deputies who conducted the pursuit were not publicly identified in the sources located for this update.

https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/this-didnt-have-to-happen-two-teenagers-die-in-maplewood-police-chase/

https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/ramsey-co-sheriffs-office-releases-dash-cam-footage-of-fatal-incidents-in-mounds-view-maplewood/

https://www.fox9.com/news/sheriff-releases-video-of-deadly-chase-in-maplewood-minn

https://www.startribune.com/two-teens-killed-in-maplewood-crash-identified/600094093

https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/15-year-old-charged-in-maplewood-police-chase-that-killed-2-teens/

REASON FOR POLICE CHASE:
Human-trafficking investigation. LAPD Hollywood Division vice officers were conducting an undercover human-trafficking operation near Melrose Avenue and Western Avenue when they observed a black Mercedes-Benz drop off a woman whom police believed was being trafficked. Vice officers attempted to stop the Mercedes, but police said the driver continued driving away and officers pursued.

EVENT NARRATIVE:
On 09/03/2021, 31-year-old Dionicio Baten Ajanel of Los Angeles was killed when a Mercedes-Benz being pursued by Los Angeles Police Department Hollywood Division vice officers crashed into his vehicle at West 6th Street and South Wilton Place in Koreatown.

The encounter began shortly before 11:00 a.m. while Hollywood Division vice officers were conducting an undercover human-trafficking investigation near Melrose and Western avenues. Police said officers observed a black Mercedes drop off a woman they believed was being trafficked. The officers attempted to stop the Mercedes in connection with that investigation.

Police said the Mercedes accelerated away and the vice officers pursued. The chase traveled south from the Hollywood area toward Koreatown and lasted approximately two minutes. Available public reporting does not provide a documented maximum speed, total pursuit distance, or the following distance between the pursuing police vehicle and the Mercedes immediately before the collision.

The pursuit reached the area of West 6th Street and South Wilton Place. Police said the Mercedes was traveling south on Wilton Place when it entered the intersection and collided with another vehicle traveling west on 6th Street.

The force of that collision sent the Mercedes into Baten Ajanel's vehicle. Baten Ajanel was an uninvolved motorist and had no connection to the human-trafficking investigation or the people police were pursuing. He suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene. Another uninvolved motorist was injured and hospitalized but survived.

The Mercedes was severely damaged in the collision. Two men inside were taken into custody and transported to hospitals for treatment. Police subsequently identified them as brothers Keith Sparrow, 21, and Julian Sparrow, 22, both of Los Angeles. Investigators initially said they had not determined which brother had been driving the Mercedes.

The two men were booked on suspicion of human trafficking. Both were subsequently released on bail while the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office considered charges arising from the fatal collision. Contemporary reporting indicated that investigators were also considering potential homicide charges related to Baten Ajanel's death.

No PIT/TVI maneuver, stop sticks, roadblock or intentional police-vehicle contact with the Mercedes immediately before the fatal collision was publicly reported.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner subsequently identified the man killed in the crash as Dionicio Baten Ajanel, 31, of Los Angeles. Public reporting about the pursuit provides little biographical information about Baten Ajanel beyond his age and residence. He was simply driving through Koreatown when the police pursuit entered the intersection and the crash killed him.

LAPD's Multi-Disciplinary Collision Investigation Team investigated the fatal pursuit crash. Detective Mo Hassanzi was publicly identified as an investigator assigned to the case. Hassanzi was not identified as one of the officers who participated in the pursuit.

OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The LAPD Hollywood Division Vice Unit officer or officers who attempted to stop the Mercedes and initiated the pursuit have not been publicly identified. LAPD personnel publicly associated with the investigation or media response included Detective Mo Hassanzi, Lt. Rex Ingram, Sgt. Bruce Borihanh, Capt. Brett McGuire, Officer Tony Im and Officer Jeff Lee; none was publicly identified as the officer driving the pursuing police vehicle. No officer name has been placed in the Officer(s) field without evidence establishing actual participation in the pursuit.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-09-03/lapd-pursuit-crash-involving-human-trafficking-suspects-kills-uninvolved-motorist-in-koreatown
https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/innocent-man-killed-3-hurt-after-pursuit-ends-in-violent-crash-in-koreatown/
https://abc7.com/post/chase-koreatown-crash-human-trafficking/10995879/
https://beverlypress.com/2021/09/man-killed-after-suspects-fleeing-police-crash/

On 08/31/2021, shortly before 1:30 p.m., Houston Police Department officers responded to the 7100 block of Hillcroft Avenue after receiving a report that a 51-year-old man was assaulting his wife. When officers arrived, the man had already left the location in a gray Honda Accord. Police alleged that the woman suffered injuries during the assault and transported her to an area hospital for treatment.
According to HPD, the man drove north on Hillcroft Avenue after leaving the domestic disturbance. In the 7200 block, he lost control of the Honda and struck the rear of a black Ford F-450 tow truck. The crash occurred only about one block from the location where police had responded to the domestic violence call.
Emergency personnel transported the man to Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center, where he died from his injuries. The Ford driver was not injured. HPD's Vehicular Crimes Division assigned Sgt. P. Lee and Officer D. Ortega to investigate the fatal crash under incident number 117620921-Q. Those officers were crash investigators and should not be identified as officers involved in the preceding encounter.
Contemporary reporting described the man as “fleeing from police,” but HPD's own official crash report does not state that officers were actively pursuing the Honda when it crashed. It states that officers responded to the domestic violence report, found that the man had fled in the Honda, and that he subsequently crashed on Hillcroft. The available evidence therefore does not establish a continuous police vehicle pursuit strongly enough to classify this as a standard police-chase fatality.
HPD did not publicly identify the 51-year-old man in its initial release, stating that identification was pending notification of his family. A search of subsequent indexed reporting and HPD material did not locate a reliable later public identification.

https://abc13.com/man-killed-crash-assaulting-wife-husband-dead/10992650/
https://www.houstontx.gov/police/nr/2021/aug/nr210831-6.htm

On 08/31/2021, shortly before 6:00 a.m., a South Miami Police Department officer observed a white Range Rover traveling at extremely high speed on the Palmetto Expressway. Police later alleged that 24-year-old Rodney Rodriguez was driving the Range Rover at speeds exceeding 100 mph, with police radio traffic indicating speeds may have reached approximately 120 mph. The officer followed the Range Rover as it exited the expressway onto Southwest 72nd Street, also known as Sunset Drive, and activated emergency equipment to initiate a traffic stop for speeding.
The Range Rover continued west on Sunset Drive while the South Miami officer followed. According to the subsequent police account and Rodriguez's arrest affidavit, the officer discontinued the pursuit after traveling outside South Miami's jurisdiction, made a U-turn and began returning toward South Miami. Rodriguez continued west at high speed and allegedly drove through a red light at Southwest 87th Avenue.
Moments after the officer discontinued the pursuit, Rodriguez reached Sunset Drive and Southwest 92nd Avenue. Fifty-one-year-old Adalberto Hernandez Cereijo was driving a silver Kia Forte carrying his wife, 49-year-old Karina Diaz Chacon, and her 75-year-old mother, Elena Chacon Diaz. The family was traveling to take Elena to a dialysis appointment. The Range Rover struck the Kia at high speed as the Kia was turning at the intersection.
The impact catastrophically damaged the Kia and killed all three family members. One of the women was ejected from the vehicle. The Range Rover continued through the collision, rotated several times and struck multiple palm trees before coming to rest. Rodriguez survived and was transported to Kendall Regional Medical Center for surgery.
Police initially stated that alcohol appeared to have contributed to the crash. At Rodriguez's later court hearing, however, prosecutors said preliminary toxicology information did not appear to show alcohol impairment but indicated drugs might have been present. Rodriguez was arrested after his release from the hospital and charged with three counts of vehicular homicide, fleeing police and grand theft auto. Authorities alleged that the Range Rover had been stolen.
The South Miami officer who initiated and briefly continued the pursuit was not identified by name in the contemporary reporting, subsequent arrest coverage or court reporting located for this update.

crash/https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/three-killed-one-hospitalized-crash/

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2021/09/01/3-family-members-killed-by-possibly-drunken-driver-on-sunset-drive/

On 08/31/2021, shortly before 6:00 a.m., a South Miami Police Department officer observed a white Range Rover traveling at extremely high speed on the Palmetto Expressway. Police later alleged that 24-year-old Rodney Rodriguez was driving the Range Rover at speeds exceeding 100 mph, with police radio traffic indicating speeds may have reached approximately 120 mph. The officer followed the Range Rover as it exited the expressway onto Southwest 72nd Street, also known as Sunset Drive, and activated emergency equipment to initiate a traffic stop for speeding.
The Range Rover continued west on Sunset Drive while the South Miami officer followed. According to the subsequent police account and Rodriguez's arrest affidavit, the officer discontinued the pursuit after traveling outside South Miami's jurisdiction, made a U-turn and began returning toward South Miami. Rodriguez continued west at high speed and allegedly drove through a red light at Southwest 87th Avenue.
Moments after the officer discontinued the pursuit, Rodriguez reached Sunset Drive and Southwest 92nd Avenue. Fifty-one-year-old Adalberto Hernandez Cereijo was driving a silver Kia Forte carrying his wife, 49-year-old Karina Diaz Chacon, and her 75-year-old mother, Elena Chacon Diaz. The family was traveling to take Elena to a dialysis appointment. The Range Rover struck the Kia at high speed as the Kia was turning at the intersection.
The impact catastrophically damaged the Kia and killed all three family members. One of the women was ejected from the vehicle. The Range Rover continued through the collision, rotated several times and struck multiple palm trees before coming to rest. Rodriguez survived and was transported to Kendall Regional Medical Center for surgery.
Police initially stated that alcohol appeared to have contributed to the crash. At Rodriguez's later court hearing, however, prosecutors said preliminary toxicology information did not appear to show alcohol impairment but indicated drugs might have been present. Rodriguez was arrested after his release from the hospital and charged with three counts of vehicular homicide, fleeing police and grand theft auto. Authorities alleged that the Range Rover had been stolen.
The South Miami officer who initiated and briefly continued the pursuit was not identified by name in the contemporary reporting, subsequent arrest coverage or court reporting located for this update.

https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/three-killed-one-hospitalized-crash/
https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/kendall-fatal-crash-police-pursuit/
https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/florida-teacher-karina-chacon-family-killed-violent-crash-sunset-drive/
https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/rodney-rodriguez-driver-in-high-speed-crash-that-killed-3-charged-with-vehicular-homicide/
https://www.local10.com/news/local/2021/09/01/3-family-members-killed-by-possibly-drunken-driver-on-sunset-drive/

On 08/31/2021, shortly before 6:00 a.m., a South Miami Police Department officer encountered a white Range Rover traveling at extremely high speed on the Palmetto Expressway. Police later alleged that 24-year-old Rodney Rodriguez was driving the Range Rover at more than 100 mph, while police radio traffic reportedly indicated speeds reaching approximately 120 mph. The South Miami officer followed the Range Rover as it exited the expressway onto Southwest 72nd Street, also known as Sunset Drive, and attempted to stop it for speeding. Rodriguez continued west while the officer pursued.
According to the subsequent police investigation, the South Miami officer discontinued the pursuit and made a U-turn. The Miami Herald reported that the officer was on his way to work when he initially encountered the speeding Range Rover and stopped following it after Rodriguez continued west on Sunset Drive. Rodriguez allegedly continued at extremely high speed and drove through a red light at Southwest 87th Avenue.
At approximately 6:00 a.m., Rodriguez reached Sunset Drive and Southwest 92nd Avenue, where 51-year-old Adalberto Hernandez Cereijo was driving a Kia sedan with his wife, 49-year-old Karina Diaz Chacon, and her 75-year-old mother, Elena Chacon Diaz. The family was traveling to take Elena to a dialysis appointment. The Range Rover struck the Kia at high speed as the family crossed the intersection.
The collision killed Adalberto, Karina and Elena. Rodriguez survived and was hospitalized. Police arrested him after his release from the hospital and charged him with three counts of vehicular homicide, fleeing police and grand theft auto. Authorities alleged that the Range Rover had been stolen.
The South Miami officer who initiated the attempted traffic stop and followed the Range Rover before discontinuing the pursuit was not identified by name in the contemporary reporting, arrest-affidavit coverage or subsequent court reporting located during this update.

https://www.wfla.com/news/high-speed-chase-kills-three-in-south-florida/
https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/kendall-fatal-crash-police-pursuit/
https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/rodney-rodriguez-driver-accused-in-high-speed-crash-that-killed-3-charged-with-vehicular-homicide/
https://www.local10.com/news/local/2021/08/31/at-least-1-hospitalized-after-vehicle-crashes-into-pole-on-sunset-drive/
https://www.local10.com/news/local/2021/09/01/3-family-members-killed-by-possibly-drunken-driver-on-sunset-drive/

On 08/29/2021, Sacramento Police Department officers responded to a burglary at a marijuana dispensary in Rancho Cordova. As several individuals left the scene in two vehicles, Officer Mitchell Barrett attempted to stop one of them. The driver, identified as 20-year-old Amelian Houff of Hayward, continued driving while Barrett pursued for approximately one mile along Elder Creek Road. During the pursuit, Houff's vehicle was reported to be traveling at speeds exceeding 100 mph before it left the roadway near the intersection of Elder Creek Road and Bradshaw Road and crashed violently into a tree, becoming lodged several feet above the ground in the tree's branches.
When Officer Barrett arrived, an eyewitness directed him to the crash site. Houff remained trapped inside the wrecked vehicle and repeatedly called out for help. Additional officers from the Sacramento Police Department and deputies from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office responded. According to a federal civil rights lawsuit later filed by Houff's parents, responding supervisors assumed Houff was armed because of the reported burglary and established a tactical perimeter around the vehicle. The lawsuit alleges that officers prevented rescuers and paramedics from approaching the wreck despite Houff's visible injuries and repeated pleas for assistance.
The lawsuit identifies Sacramento Police Lt. Brian Scott Ellis as the senior Sacramento police supervisor at the scene and alleges that, while Houff remained alive inside the vehicle, Ellis joked during a telephone conversation that the crash resembled "Dukes of Hazzard" and laughed about the situation. The complaint further alleges that Ellis ordered the only ambulance that had staged nearby to leave the scene even though Houff continued calling for help. Sacramento County Sheriff's Sgt. Jim Spurgeon and Lt. Michael Daniels allegedly chose to delay approaching the vehicle while waiting for additional tactical resources, including a drone operator, despite officers reporting that Houff was still alive. The lawsuit states that security footage from the burglary was later reviewed and showed no firearms had been used, but officers nevertheless continued to delay making contact.
According to the Sacramento County Coroner, Houff sustained his injuries at approximately 4:53 a.m. Officers did not approach the vehicle until approximately 7:17 a.m., nearly two and one-half hours later. When they finally reached the vehicle, Houff had suffered a severe head wound and was partially hanging out of the driver's window. He was pronounced dead at the scene at approximately 7:30 a.m. The official cause of death was blunt force injuries sustained in the crash.
In 2022, Houff's parents filed a federal wrongful death and civil rights lawsuit represented by civil rights attorney John L. Burris, alleging that although the crash caused catastrophic injuries, law enforcement officers violated Houff's constitutional rights by deliberately delaying lifesaving medical care and preventing emergency medical personnel from treating him while he remained alive. The lawsuit names Officer Mitchell Barrett, Sgt. Michael Frazier, Lt. Brian Scott Ellis, Sgt. Jim Spurgeon, Lt. Michael Daniels, the City of Sacramento, Sacramento Police Department personnel, Sacramento County, and Sacramento County Sheriff's Office personnel.
In October 2025, Sacramento County agreed to pay $1.62 million to settle the claims against the county and sheriff's personnel. The settlement resolved only the county's portion of the lawsuit. As of July 2026, litigation against the City of Sacramento and Sacramento police defendants remains pending. Court filings by the defendants deny deliberate indifference, arguing that officers believed Houff could have been armed and were attempting to balance emergency medical care with scene safety. Attorneys for Lt. Ellis argued that Houff's fatal injuries resulted from the crash itself rather than any subsequent delay. Attorneys representing Sgt. Spurgeon and Lt. Daniels similarly contended they were attempting to render aid safely under uncertain circumstances.
The case has drawn significant public attention because of allegations that Houff remained alive for hours after the crash while emergency medical treatment was withheld, raising broader questions about police pursuit practices, tactical decision-making, and delays in providing medical care following police incidents.

https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article316508874.html

On 08/28/2021, Newton County Sheriff’s Office deputies pursued a reportedly stolen vehicle through Newton County. The pursuit continued at high speed on Highway 81 as deputies followed the vehicle toward the Covington area.
Thirty-year-old Brittany Michelle Ingram, who was pregnant, was traveling in an uninvolved vehicle when the police pursuit approached her location. The pursued vehicle crossed into opposing traffic and collided with Ingram’s vehicle.
The impact severely damaged Ingram’s vehicle and left her critically injured. Emergency personnel transported her to Piedmont Newton Hospital, where she died from injuries sustained in the collision. Her unborn child also died.
The Georgia State Patrol investigated the fatal collision. The crash was a direct consequence of the vehicle pursuit initiated by the Newton County Sheriff’s Office over a reportedly stolen vehicle.

https://www.11alive.com/article/news/crime/1-dead-following-police-pursuit-of-stolen-vehicle/85-c53057e3-db64-44d2-b2ea-04db2b236520
https://www.covnews.com/news/crime/pregnant-woman-dies-crash-after-pursuit/
https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/newton-county/pregnant-woman-dies-after-suspect-leading-police-chase-crashes-into-car/N5NLFZZRYZGHXJS2W3VWVFKJBE/
https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/innocent-bystander-killed-in-newton-county-crash-following-police-pursuit
https://www.wgxa.tv/news/local/pregnant-woman-killed-in-newton-county-crash-after-police-chase-of-stolen-car

REASON FOR CHASE: Bystander killed when a driver attempting to evade arrest fled police and crashed into the vehicle in which Pedroza was a passenger.
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NARRATIVE:
On 08/28/2021, 24-year-old Pedro Guadarrama Pedroza was killed when a Dodge Charger fleeing police crashed into the vehicle in which he was riding at South Zarzamora Street and West Southcross Boulevard in San Antonio.
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Shortly after 1:00 a.m., 17-year-old Michael Rene Soto was attempting to evade arrest when he drove through a red light at high speed and collided with Pedroza's vehicle. The impact forced the vehicle across the intersection and into a utility pole. Pedroza suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene. Soto and a passenger in the Charger were transported to University Hospital.
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Pedroza's family subsequently spoke publicly about his death. His twin brother, Pablo Guadarrama Pedroza, called for justice and described the devastating effect Pedro's death had on their family. Telemundo San Antonio published family photographs of Pedro with its coverage.
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DISPOSITION:
A Bexar County grand jury indicted Michael Rene Soto on a murder charge in November 2021. The indictment alleged that Soto caused Pedroza's death while attempting to evade arrest by running the red light and crashing into the vehicle carrying Pedroza. Soto faced up to life imprisonment if convicted.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The San Antonio Police Department officer(s) involved in the attempted arrest and pursuit were not publicly identified.

https://www.telemundosanantonio.com/noticias/local/hermano-pide-justicia-tras-muerte-de-su-gemelo-en-aparatoso-choque-pedro-guadarrama-pedroza-san-antonio/2145078/
https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/Running-red-lights-blamed-in-two-early-morning-16418956.php
https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/Devine-man-indicted-on-capital-murder-charge-16617101.php
https://www.thebentonlawfirm.com/blog/pedro-pedroza-killed-in-two-vehicle-crash-on-zarzamora-street-and-southcross-boulevard-in-san-antonio/

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REASON FOR POLICE CHASE:
Stolen vehicle taken during an armed carjacking. Dallas police officers spotted a black Toyota Camry that had been stolen at gunpoint the previous evening, confirmed through its registration that it was the stolen vehicle, and attempted to stop it in the 1000 block of South Buckner Boulevard. The 14-year-old driver continued driving away and police pursued.
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EVENT NARRATIVE:
On 08/25/2021, 34-year-old Cordell Jackson was killed when a stolen Toyota Camry being pursued by Dallas Police Department officers ran a red light and crashed into the Chevrolet Impala he was driving at Great Trinity Forest Way and Wadsworth Drive in Dallas. Jackson was an uninvolved motorist and had no connection to the carjacking or police pursuit.
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The Camry had been stolen during an armed carjacking the previous evening in East Dallas. Police said a person armed with a handgun threatened a woman as she was getting into the vehicle, demanded her property and took the Camry.
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At approximately 1:10 a.m. the following morning, Dallas officers spotted the Camry in the 1000 block of South Buckner Boulevard near Lake June Road and C.F. Hawn Freeway. After checking its registration and determining that it was the vehicle stolen in the armed carjacking, officers attempted a traffic stop. The driver continued driving away and police pursued.
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The pursuit continued at high speed through Dallas, Balch Springs and Hutchins before returning to Dallas. Contemporary accounts place its duration at approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Available reporting does not provide a documented maximum speed for either the Camry or pursuing police vehicles. No PIT/TVI maneuver, stop sticks, roadblock or intentional police-vehicle contact was publicly reported.
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At Great Trinity Forest Way and Wadsworth Drive, the Camry entered the intersection against a red light and crashed into Jackson's Chevrolet Impala. Jackson and a female passenger in his vehicle were taken to a hospital. Jackson died from his injuries. His passenger suffered serious injuries but survived and was subsequently released from the hospital.
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The Camry's 14-year-old driver and three passengers—two other juveniles and one adult—were taken into custody after the crash and treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Police said the 14-year-old had a handgun. Because Jackson was an uninvolved bystander, the identities and unrelated histories of the people in the pursued vehicle are not pertinent to his report.
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Police charged the 14-year-old driver with murder, evading police, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and unlawful carrying of a weapon. Dallas Police Chief Eddie García said after Jackson's death that the department was reviewing the pursuit and its vehicle-pursuit policies, while stating that he initially believed the officers had followed department guidelines.
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Jackson was 34 years old. Public reporting about his death focused almost entirely on the pursuit and provides little reliable information about his family, occupation, interests or life outside the fatal collision.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The Dallas Police Department officers who initiated and participated in the pursuit have not been publicly identified in the available reporting.

https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/dallas-police-chase-stolen-car-crash-innocent-driver-dead/
https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2021/08/25/14-year-old-3-others-taken-into-custody-after-police-chase-ends-in-crash-killing-innocent-driver/
https://www.fox4news.com/news/dallas-police-chase-involving-teen-carjacking-suspects-ends-in-crash-innocent-driver-killed
https://www.wbap.com/2021/08/26/dallas-14-year-old-charged-with-murder-after-high-speed-police-chase-ends-in-crash/

REASON FOR CHASE: CHP officers pursued Stallworth at speeds exceeding 100 mph; the original reason police initiated the pursuit has not been established.
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NARRATIVE:
On 08/25/2021, 28-year-old Natalia Kyme Stallworth of Santa Barbara was killed when the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta she was driving crashed head-on into a Ford Expedition during a California Highway Patrol pursuit on U.S. Highway 101 near Dos Pueblos Canyon Road in Santa Barbara County.
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CHP Officers Daniel Backe and Bodgan Vysochin pursued Stallworth northbound on Highway 101. A later wrongful-death lawsuit filed by Daniel Garcia's parents alleged that the CHP pursuit reached speeds exceeding 100 mph.
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Near Dos Pueblos Canyon Road, Stallworth crossed the dirt center median and entered the southbound lanes traveling the wrong direction. Her Volkswagen collided head-on with the Ford Expedition occupied by Daniel Garcia and Eryka Lopez. Both vehicles caught fire. The collision was reported at approximately 2:18 a.m.
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Stallworth, Garcia and Lopez were pronounced dead at the scene. The fire was so intense that contemporary reporting stated the Volkswagen's license plate was destroyed. Santa Barbara County firefighters extinguished the burning vehicles and extricated victims from the wreckage.
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The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Coroner's Bureau subsequently identified Stallworth as the Volkswagen driver. Later civil-court records identify her full name as Natalia Kyme Stallworth.
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DISPOSITION:
Daniel Garcia's parents subsequently filed a wrongful-death lawsuit naming the State of California, California Highway Patrol, Natalia Stallworth's estate and several other defendants. The complaint alleged negligence by CHP Officers Daniel Backe and Bodgan Vysochin in conducting the high-speed pursuit.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
CHP Officers Daniel Backe and Bodgan Vysochin were identified in subsequent civil litigation as the officers who pursued Stallworth.

https://www.santabarbara.courts.ca.gov/tentative-ruling/23cv03682
https://www.independent.com/2021/08/25/hwy-101-closed-in-both-directions-at-naples/
https://www.independent.com/2021/08/27/victims-from-wednesdays-101-incidents-identified/
https://keyt.com/news/traffic/2021/08/26/sheriffs-office-identifies-4-killed-in-early-morning-crashes-on-hwy-101/
https://www.ksby.com/news/local-news/four-people-killed-in-hwy-101-crashes-wednesday-identified

.REASON FOR CHASE: Not disclosed by police.
.
NARRATIVE:
On 08/25/2021, 25-year-old Daniel Garcia of Santa Maria was killed when a Volkswagen Jetta fleeing California Highway Patrol officers crossed the center median of U.S. Highway 101 near Dos Pueblos Canyon Road and crashed head-on into the Ford Expedition in which Garcia was traveling.
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CHP Officers Daniel Backe and Bodgan Vysochin were pursuing the Volkswagen driven by Natalia Kyme Stallworth northbound on Highway 101. A subsequent wrongful-death lawsuit filed by Garcia's parents alleged that the pursuit reached speeds exceeding 100 mph.
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Stallworth crossed the center median and entered the southbound lanes traveling the wrong direction. Her Volkswagen struck the Ford Expedition occupied by Garcia and his girlfriend, 23-year-old Eryka Lopez. Both vehicles caught fire. Garcia, Lopez and Stallworth died at the scene.
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Garcia and Lopez were a young Santa Maria couple. Lopez's aunt, Nora Rodriguez, publicly identified Garcia as her niece's boyfriend. Their families established a joint fundraiser to pay for their funeral expenses.
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DISPOSITION:
Garcia's parents, Genaro Garcia Leon and Teresa De Jesus Garcia, subsequently brought a wrongful-death lawsuit against the State of California, CHP and other defendants. Their complaint identified CHP Officers Daniel Backe and Bodgan Vysochin and alleged that their high-speed pursuit of Stallworth contributed to the fatal collision.
.
OFFICER BACKGROUND:
CHP Officers Daniel Backe and Bodgan Vysochin were identified in subsequent civil litigation as the officers who pursued Stallworth.

https://www.santabarbara.courts.ca.gov/tentative-ruling/23cv03682
https://www.noozhawk.com/bill_macfadyen_fatal_fiery_crashes_take_terrible_toll_highway_101_20210827/
https://www.independent.com/2021/08/27/victims-from-wednesdays-101-incidents-identified/
https://keyt.com/news/traffic/2021/08/26/sheriffs-office-identifies-4-killed-in-early-morning-crashes-on-hwy-101/
https://www.dudleyhoffmanmortuary.com/obituaries/Daniel-Garcia-And-Eryka-Lopez

REASON FOR CHASE: Bystander killed when a vehicle pursued by CHP officers at speeds exceeding 100 mph crossed the median and struck her vehicle head-on; the original reason for the pursuit has not been established.
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NARRATIVE:
On 08/25/2021, 23-year-old Eryka Denise Lopez of Santa Maria was killed when a Volkswagen Jetta fleeing California Highway Patrol officers crossed the center median of U.S. Highway 101 near Dos Pueblos Canyon Road and crashed head-on into the Ford Expedition occupied by Lopez and her boyfriend, Daniel Garcia. Her full middle name is independently documented in contemporary Santa Maria death notices.
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CHP Officers Daniel Backe and Bodgan Vysochin were pursuing the Volkswagen driven by Natalia Kyme Stallworth northbound on Highway 101. Subsequent civil litigation alleged that the pursuit reached speeds exceeding 100 mph.
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Stallworth crossed the center median and entered the southbound lanes traveling the wrong direction. Her Volkswagen collided head-on with the Ford Expedition. Both vehicles were engulfed in fire. Lopez, Garcia and Stallworth were pronounced dead at the scene.
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Lopez and Garcia were a couple from Santa Maria. Lopez's aunt, Nora Rodriguez, spoke publicly about their deaths, and family members established a joint fundraiser to help pay for the couple's funeral arrangements. Lopez and Garcia also share a memorial page through Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary in Santa Maria.
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DISPOSITION:
Daniel Garcia's parents subsequently filed a wrongful-death action against the State of California, CHP and other defendants. The lawsuit identified CHP Officers Daniel Backe and Bodgan Vysochin as the officers involved in the pursuit of Stallworth.
.
OFFICER BACKGROUND:
CHP Officers Daniel Backe and Bodgan Vysochin were identified in subsequent civil litigation as the officers who pursued Stallworth.

https://www.santabarbara.courts.ca.gov/tentative-ruling/23cv03682
https://www.noozhawk.com/bill_macfadyen_fatal_fiery_crashes_take_terrible_toll_highway_101_20210827/
https://www.dudleyhoffmanmortuary.com/obituaries/Daniel-Garcia-And-Eryka-Lopez
https://www.independent.com/2021/08/27/victims-from-wednesdays-101-incidents-identified/
https://keyt.com/news/traffic/2021/08/26/sheriffs-office-identifies-4-killed-in-early-morning-crashes-on-hwy-101/

.
REASON FOR POLICE CHASE:
Disputed. Buffalo police records obtained through a later public-records investigation state that officers began pursuing the Chevrolet Cruze after observing the driver speeding. Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia later gave a different account, saying officers recognized the car as a vehicle connected to an earlier shooting. The distinction is significant because Buffalo Police Department policy prohibited vehicle pursuits based solely on traffic violations.
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EVENT NARRATIVE:
On 08/24/2021, 21-year-old Sequoyah C. Woodberry was killed while riding as the front-seat passenger in a Chevrolet Cruze pursued by Buffalo Police Department officers through the city's East Side. Woodberry was not driving the car and had no control over whether the driver stopped for police.
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Buffalo police patrol officers began pursuing the Cruze at approximately 3:45 a.m. near Sycamore Street and Fillmore Avenue. Initial police reporting described the vehicle only as suspicious. Later police records obtained through a public-records request stated that officers observed the driver traveling at high speed. Commissioner Gramaglia subsequently said officers instead recognized the Cruze as connected to an earlier shooting. The public accounts therefore conflict over the justification for initiating the chase.
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Annette Addimando, another passenger in the Cruze, later told investigators that she had allowed Darrius Jackson Jr. to drive her car. She remembered portions of the pursuit, including screeching tires, loud music and police emergency lights behind the vehicle. She also recalled Jackson indicating before driving away that he did not stop for police.
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The pursuit continued for approximately 15 minutes through Buffalo. At about 4:00 a.m., the Cruze was traveling south on Bailey Avenue at high speed when police said the driver entered the intersection at Doat Street against a red light. Another vehicle traveling through the intersection struck the Cruze broadside. The impact sent the Cruze into a light pole and severely damaged the vehicle.
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Woodberry was trapped in the wreckage with Jackson and Addimando. Police body-camera video later obtained through public-records requests shows officers arriving immediately after the crash and cutting through an airbag to reach the occupants. Woodberry was still showing signs of life as officers attempted to reach her, but she died at the scene. Jackson was transported to Erie County Medical Center in critical condition. Addimando was also hospitalized and survived. The driver of the other vehicle suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
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Police recovered a loaded 9mm handgun containing 13 rounds from the Cruze after the crash. The weapon was discovered after the pursuit had already occurred and therefore was not itself the initiating reason for the chase.
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No PIT/TVI maneuver, stop sticks, roadblock or intentional police-vehicle contact with the Cruze immediately before the collision was identified in the available records. Public reporting does not provide a documented maximum pursuit speed or identify the individual officers driving the pursuing Buffalo police vehicles.
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Woodberry was 21 years old and had been attending beauty school. Later reporting described her as a young woman whose life was cut short while she was a passenger in a vehicle someone else was driving. The New York Attorney General's Office formally recorded Woodberry as a Black woman who died during a Buffalo Police Department pursuit.
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The Buffalo Police Department's Internal Affairs Division and Accident Investigation Unit investigated the pursuit and fatal crash. The New York Attorney General's Office of Special Investigation also assessed Woodberry's death. OSI ultimately closed the matter, concluding that a police officer did not cause Woodberry's death.
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Later scrutiny raised a significant issue concerning whether the pursuit complied with Buffalo Police Department policy. Records obtained by the Times Union indicated that officers initiated the chase after observing speeding, while department policy prohibited pursuits for traffic violations alone. Commissioner Gramaglia disputed that account and said the Cruze had been associated with an earlier shooting, which would have provided a violent-crime basis for pursuing it. The conflicting explanations remained unresolved in the later reporting.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The Buffalo Police Department officers who initiated and participated in the pursuit have not been publicly identified in the available records and reporting.

https://www.wkbw.com/news/local-news/fatal-crash-following-police-pursuit-in-buffalo
https://www.buffalonews.com/news/crime/police-chase-ends-in-fatal-crash-in-buffalo
https://www.wnyt.com/abc-news/nation-world/fatal-crash-in-buffalo-involving-vehicle-in-police-pursuit/
https://wblk.com/police-chase-in-buffalo-ends-with-one-dead-one-in-critical-condition/
https://www.timesunion.com/state/article/fatal-police-chases-ny-death-19369809.php
https://www.timesunion.com/projects/2024/police-pursuits/
https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2021-osi-annual-report.pdf

On 08/20/2021, off-duty Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Detention Deputy Daniel Lawrence Hernandez crashed his 2020 Ford Mustang into a Nissan Murano driven by 65-year-old Krista Richter at North Dale Mabry Highway and West Sligh Avenue in Tampa. Richter suffered catastrophic injuries and died at the hospital nine days later. Her husband, Peter Richter, 63, was riding with her and suffered serious injuries. Hernandez was driving his personal vehicle and was not responding to a police call or engaged in official duties.
On 08/20/2021, 65-year-old Khrista Richter was fatally injured when off-duty Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office detention deputy Daniel Hernandez, driving his personal Ford Mustang at extreme speed, crashed into the Nissan SUV occupied by Richter and her husband, Peter Richter, at North Dale Mabry Highway and West Sligh Avenue in Tampa.
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Shortly before 8:00 p.m., Khrista and Peter Richter were traveling in their Nissan after leaving a restaurant. Khrista was making a left turn from Dale Mabry Highway onto Sligh Avenue when Hernandez approached in the opposite direction in his Mustang.
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Hernandez was off duty and was not responding to an emergency, pursuing another vehicle, or performing a law-enforcement function. Florida Highway Patrol investigators determined that excessive speed caused the collision.
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Data recovered from the Mustang's electronic data recorder later became central evidence in Hernandez's criminal trial. The recorder showed the Mustang traveling approximately 109 mph in the 45-mph zone immediately before the collision. Trial evidence placed the speed at 109.2 mph approximately 1.5 seconds before impact.
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Hernandez's Mustang struck the passenger side of the Richters' Nissan with tremendous force. Khrista suffered catastrophic injuries. Peter was seriously injured but survived. Hernandez suffered minor injuries.
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Khrista later died from her injuries. She was a breast cancer survivor whose family described her as a caring person and loving aunt. Her husband, Peter, survived the crash and spent the following years seeking accountability for her death.
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Florida Highway Patrol investigated the collision. In April 2022, Hernandez was charged with vehicular homicide and reckless driving with serious bodily injury. After the charges were filed, he resigned from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and surrendered to authorities.
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Hernandez disputed the prosecution's reconstruction of his speed. At his 2025 trial, an FHP trooper testified that the collision would not have occurred had Hernandez been traveling at the posted speed limit because Richter's Nissan would have had sufficient time to clear the intersection.
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On 09/26/2025, a Hillsborough County jury found Hernandez guilty of vehicular homicide and reckless driving with serious bodily injury. He was taken into custody after the verdict.
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Khrista's husband, Peter Richter, said after the verdict that the four years following his wife's death had been extremely difficult. Khrista's sister, Connie Carroll, described her as caring and loving and said the conviction brought a measure of justice for her sister.
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On 11/21/2025, Hernandez was sentenced to 15 years in state prison followed by five years of probation for causing the fatal crash.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
Daniel Hernandez was a Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office detention deputy at the time of the fatal collision. He was off duty and driving his personal vehicle when he killed Khrista Richter and seriously injured Peter Richter. Hernandez resigned from HCSO after he was criminally charged in April 2022. A jury subsequently convicted him of vehicular homicide and reckless driving with serious bodily injury, and he was sentenced to 15 years in prison followed by five years of probation.

https://www.wfla.com/news/hillsborough-county/hillsborough-county-detention-deputy-on-trial-in-deadly-crash-that-killed-woman-injured-husband
https://www.fox13news.com/news/former-detention-deputy-found-guilty-in-crash-that-killed-tampa-woman
https://www.yahoo.com/news/former-detention-deputy-trial-deadly-crash-killed-woman-injured-husband
https://www.fox13news.com/news/hillsborough-detention-deputy-charged-with-vehicular-homicide
https://www.teamhcso.com/News/PressRelease/d932c8f6-06d7-4b76-873a-b4691ebcd1fb/22-043
https://www.tampabay.com/news/hillsborough/2021/11/05/off-duty-hillsborough-detention-deputy-under-investigation-in-fatal-tampa-crash/
https://www.tampabay.com/news/crime/2022/04/04/hillsborough-detention-deputy-arrested-on-vehicular-homicide-charge/
https://www.tampabay.com/news/crime/2025/11/21/hillsborough-deputy-vehicular-homicide-sentence-tampa-crash/
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/former-hillsborough-detention-deputy-sentenced-230139574.html

REASON FOR CHASE: CHP pursued the motorcyclist after he passed officers at more than 100 mph during a construction-zone protection operation.
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NARRATIVE:
On 08/18/2021, a 34-year-old La Puente man was killed when his Triumph motorcycle crashed into a Toyota Camry during a California Highway Patrol pursuit that began on Interstate 10 and continued into West Covina.
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At approximately 1:00 a.m., CHP officers were conducting a construction-crew protection operation on westbound I-10 near Kellogg Drive when the motorcycle passed them traveling more than 100 mph. Officers attempted to stop the rider and pursued him, catching up near Azusa Avenue.
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The motorcyclist left the freeway and continued onto West Covina Parkway and southbound Glendora Avenue. CHP Officer Rodrigo Jimenez said pursuing officers lost sight of the motorcycle on Glendora Avenue.
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At Glendora Avenue and Merced Avenue, the motorcyclist ran a red light and struck the side of a Toyota Camry traveling west on Merced Avenue. The rider was ejected from the motorcycle and died at the scene. He was wearing a helmet.
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The Camry was occupied by a 35-year-old West Covina woman and a 40-year-old West Covina man. Both were transported to Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center with injuries.
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The California Highway Patrol Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team investigated the fatal collision. West Covina police assisted at the scene.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The California Highway Patrol officers who initiated and participated in the pursuit were not publicly identified.

https://www.sgvcitywatch.com/west-covina/category/traffic-collision/4
https://www.sgvcitywatch.com/west-covina/category/pursuit
https://www.sgvcitywatch.com/west-covina/archives/08-2021

On 08/17/2021, 35-year-old Kyle Wade Plunkett died after a Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Office deputy pursued his motorcycle on rural roads southeast of Lafayette. Plunkett is the correct identity of the motorcyclist killed in this pursuit.
A Tippecanoe County sheriff’s deputy attempted to stop Plunkett while he was riding his motorcycle. Police described the initiating reason as a traffic violation. Plunkett continued driving away, and the deputy began pursuing him.
The pursuit continued at high speed through rural Tippecanoe County. Plunkett traveled along County Road 800 East as the sheriff’s deputy pursued him. Near County Road 500 South, Plunkett lost control of the motorcycle, left the roadway and crashed.
Emergency personnel responded to the crash, but Plunkett sustained fatal injuries and died at the scene. There was no reported collision between the pursuing sheriff’s vehicle and Plunkett’s motorcycle, and the available reporting does not indicate that police used a PIT maneuver, stop sticks or another physical intervention against the motorcycle before the crash.
The death occurred during an active police pursuit initiated over a traffic violation. The available contemporary reports do not provide the specific alleged traffic violation that prompted the deputy to attempt the stop, the pursuit speed, its exact duration or distance, or whether a supervisor authorized or monitored the continuation of the pursuit.
The Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Office investigated the crash, with the Tippecanoe County Coroner’s Office handling the death investigation. Searches for subsequent crash-reconstruction findings, dash-camera or body-camera footage, an internal pursuit review, litigation, settlement or disciplinary proceeding did not locate substantial later public documentation expanding upon the original account.
Plunkett was born on 09/13/1985 in Lafayette. He graduated from Mt. Vernon High School in Mt. Vernon, Indiana, and worked as a welder and fabricator. He had previously worked for TMI in Mt. Vernon and was working in Lafayette for Cornego Custom Welding when he died. Plunkett was the father of a son, Dalton. He was an avid motorcyclist and also enjoyed video games. His family described him as quiet and reserved but someone who readily helped others.
OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Office deputy who initiated and continued the pursuit has not been reliably identified in the publicly available reporting located for this update.

https://www.jconline.com/story/news/2021/08/18/tippecanoe-county-man-dies-motorcycle-crash-during-police-pursuit/8174974002/
https://www.wlfi.com/news/local-news/deputy-pursues-motorcyclist-in-tippecanoe-county-crash-fatality/
https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/man-killed-in-police-chase-crash-tippecanoe-county/531-c3b6eb98-54e2-4956-8f21-81645073c615
https://www.sandersfuneralcare.com/obituaries/kyle-plunkett

On 08/16/2021, 18-year-old Brianna Lynn Foster was killed when a stolen Hummer traveling the wrong direction on Interstate 26 crashed head-on into the Kia she was driving near mile marker 14.5 in Spartanburg County. Foster was traveling from Fishers, Indiana, to the South Carolina coast with 17-year-old twins Elleana and Isabella Gaddis and their 17-year-old friend Maci Watts.
The later criminal prosecution substantially clarified the events preceding the crash. Shortly before 2 a.m., Melissa Ann Parker arrived at a Circle K on Asheville Highway in her own vehicle, parked it and climbed into another customer's Hummer SUV. Parker stole the Hummer and drove it repeatedly around the Circle K while law enforcement arrived.
An Inman Police Department officer attempted to stop Parker at the gas station. According to prosecutors, Parker nearly struck the officer and then drove away in the Hummer. She entered Interstate 26 near Exit 15 traveling west in the eastbound lanes.
At approximately 2:06 a.m., the wrong-way Hummer collided head-on with Foster's eastbound Kia near mile marker 14.5. Foster and passengers Elleana and Isabella Gaddis were killed. Watts survived with minor injuries.
Parker escaped from the wrecked Hummer through its rear window and left the crash scene without contacting emergency services. South Carolina Highway Patrol personnel, Spartanburg County sheriff's deputies and K-9 teams searched the surrounding area and found her in a residential neighborhood adjacent to I-26. Investigators determined that she had consumed THC gummies and Adderall before driving.
The later prosecutorial account is important in assessing the law-enforcement role in the incident. It establishes that an Inman officer attempted to stop Parker at the Circle K immediately before she drove onto the interstate, but it does not describe officers pursuing the Hummer onto I-26 behind her. The available evidence therefore does not establish this as a continuing high-speed police pursuit at the moment Parker crashed into Foster's vehicle.
Foster was a recent Hamilton Southeastern High School graduate. The Gaddis twins were still students at Hamilton Southeastern. The four friends were traveling together from Fishers to the beach when the crash occurred.
The criminal case remained pending for more than three years. On 09/23/2024, Parker pleaded guilty to three counts of felony DUI resulting in death, first-degree assault and battery, grand larceny and hit-and-run with minor personal injury.
Circuit Court Judge R. Keith Kelly sentenced Parker to 25 years in prison and a $25,100 fine on each of the three felony-DUI-death convictions. He also imposed 10 years for first-degree assault and battery, 10 years for grand larceny and one year for hit-and-run. The sentences run concurrently, leaving Parker with an effective 25-year prison sentence.
Foster's mother, Jodi Foster, spoke publicly after sentencing and said the punishment did not provide sufficient justice for the three young women. She described the deaths as permanent sentences for their families and believed Parker should have received a sentence reflecting that loss.

https://www.spartanburgcounty.gov/DocumentCenter/View/103955/092324--Spartanburg-Woman-Sentenced-for-The-Deaths-of-Three-Young-Women
https://www.foxcarolina.com/2024/09/23/plea-hearing-take-place-woman-accused-killing-3-upstate-teens-wrong-way-crash/
https://www.wyff4.com/article/woman-sentenced-wrong-south-carolina-crash-teens/62337150
https://www.wthr.com/article/news/crime/woman-sentenced-to-prison-in-wrong-way-crash-that-killed-3-fishers-teens-melissa-ann-parker/531-93f658ab-92fc-496a-b860-e974d7b993f6
https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/hamilton-county/2021/08/17/3-fishers-teens-killed-car-crash-south-carolina/8155533002/
https://www.goupstate.com/story/news/2021/08/30/spartanburg-teens-killed-dui-crash-suspect-pleads-guilty/5637680001/
https://www.wyff4.com/article/three-teens-from-indiana-die-in-south-carolina-wrong-way-crash-with-hummer/37319748

On 08/16/2021, 17-year-old Elleana Lee Gaddis was killed when a stolen Hummer traveling the wrong direction on Interstate 26 crashed head-on into the Kia in which she was riding near mile marker 14.5 in Spartanburg County. Her identical twin sister, Isabella Lee Gaddis, and their friend Brianna Lynn Foster were also killed. Their friend Maci Watts survived.
The four teenagers were traveling from their home community of Fishers, Indiana, to the South Carolina coast. Foster, 18, was driving the Kia, with the Gaddis twins and Watts, both 17, riding as passengers.
The later criminal prosecution established that Melissa Ann Parker had arrived at a Circle K on Asheville Highway in her own vehicle shortly before the crash. She parked her vehicle, climbed into another customer's Hummer SUV and stole it. Parker drove the Hummer around the gas station several times as law enforcement arrived.
An Inman Police Department officer attempted to stop Parker. Prosecutors said Parker nearly struck the responding officer before driving away and entering Interstate 26 near Exit 15 traveling west in the eastbound lanes.
At approximately 2:06 a.m., Parker drove the Hummer head-on into the eastbound Kia carrying the four friends. Elleana, Isabella and Foster died from the collision. Watts survived with minor injuries.
Parker climbed through the Hummer's rear window after the collision and left the scene. South Carolina Highway Patrol personnel, Spartanburg County sheriff's deputies and K-9 teams searched for her and found her in a nearby residential area. Investigators subsequently determined that Parker had consumed THC gummies and Adderall before driving.
Although an Inman officer attempted to stop Parker immediately before she entered I-26, the later detailed prosecutorial account does not state that police pursued her onto the interstate. The available evidence therefore does not establish that a continuing police pursuit was underway when the fatal head-on collision occurred.
Elleana and Isabella were identical twins and students at Hamilton Southeastern High School in Fishers. Their deaths, along with Foster's, prompted the school district to provide counseling and other support to students and staff.
On 09/23/2024, Parker pleaded guilty to three counts of felony DUI resulting in death, first-degree assault and battery, grand larceny and hit-and-run with minor personal injury.
Circuit Court Judge R. Keith Kelly imposed the statutory maximum 25-year prison sentence and a $25,100 fine for each felony-DUI-death conviction, together with additional prison sentences for the other offenses. All sentences run concurrently, resulting in an effective 25-year term.
Maci Watts, the only survivor from the Kia, later said she wished Parker's sentence had been longer but found some comfort in knowing Parker would remain incarcerated for years.

https://www.spartanburgcounty.gov/DocumentCenter/View/103955/092324--Spartanburg-Woman-Sentenced-for-The-Deaths-of-Three-Young-Women
https://www.foxcarolina.com/2024/09/23/plea-hearing-take-place-woman-accused-killing-3-upstate-teens-wrong-way-crash/
https://www.wyff4.com/article/woman-sentenced-wrong-south-carolina-crash-teens/62337150
https://www.wthr.com/article/news/crime/woman-sentenced-to-prison-in-wrong-way-crash-that-killed-3-fishers-teens-melissa-ann-parker/531-93f658ab-92fc-496a-b860-e974d7b993f6
https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/hamilton-county/2021/08/17/3-fishers-teens-killed-car-crash-south-carolina/8155533002/
https://www.goupstate.com/story/news/2021/08/30/spartanburg-teens-killed-dui-crash-suspect-pleads-guilty/5637680001/
https://www.wyff4.com/article/three-teens-from-indiana-die-in-south-carolina-wrong-way-crash-with-hummer/37319748

On 08/16/2021, 17-year-old Isabella Lee Gaddis was killed when a stolen Hummer traveling the wrong direction on Interstate 26 crashed head-on into the Kia in which she was riding near mile marker 14.5 in Spartanburg County. Her identical twin sister, Elleana Lee Gaddis, and their friend Brianna Lynn Foster were also killed. Their friend Maci Watts survived.
The four teenagers were traveling from Fishers, Indiana, to the South Carolina coast. Foster, 18, was driving the Kia when the crash occurred.
The later criminal prosecution established that Melissa Ann Parker had arrived at a Circle K on Asheville Highway, parked her own vehicle and climbed into another customer's Hummer SUV. Parker stole the Hummer and drove it around the gas station several times while law enforcement was arriving.
An Inman Police Department officer attempted to stop Parker. Prosecutors said Parker nearly struck the officer and then drove the Hummer away. She entered Interstate 26 near Exit 15 and began traveling west in the interstate's eastbound lanes.
At approximately 2:06 a.m., the Hummer collided head-on with the Kia carrying Isabella, Elleana, Foster and Watts. Isabella, Elleana and Foster were killed. Watts sustained minor injuries.
Parker escaped from the damaged Hummer through its rear window and left the scene without contacting police or emergency medical personnel. South Carolina Highway Patrol personnel, Spartanburg County sheriff's deputies and K-9 teams searched the surrounding area and found Parker in a residential neighborhood near the interstate. Investigators determined that she had consumed THC gummies and Adderall before driving.
The later prosecutorial reconstruction confirms that police attempted to stop Parker at the Circle K but does not describe an active police pursuit continuing behind her on Interstate 26. The available evidence therefore does not establish that police were pursuing the Hummer when Parker struck the teenagers' Kia.
Isabella and Elleana were identical twins and students at Hamilton Southeastern High School in Fishers. Foster had recently graduated from the same school. The school district made counselors available following the deaths.
More than three years after the crash, Parker pleaded guilty on 09/23/2024 to three counts of felony DUI resulting in death, first-degree assault and battery, grand larceny and hit-and-run with minor personal injury.
Circuit Court Judge R. Keith Kelly sentenced Parker to 25 years in prison and a $25,100 fine for each felony-DUI-death count, as well as additional prison terms on the remaining convictions. Because all of the sentences run concurrently, Parker received an effective 25-year prison sentence.
The families and surviving passenger continued to speak publicly at sentencing about the permanent consequences of the crash. They expressed dissatisfaction that Parker could eventually leave prison when the three young women had lost their lives.

https://www.spartanburgcounty.gov/DocumentCenter/View/103955/092324--Spartanburg-Woman-Sentenced-for-The-Deaths-of-Three-Young-Women
https://www.foxcarolina.com/2024/09/23/plea-hearing-take-place-woman-accused-killing-3-upstate-teens-wrong-way-crash/
https://www.wyff4.com/article/woman-sentenced-wrong-south-carolina-crash-teens/62337150
https://www.wthr.com/article/news/crime/woman-sentenced-to-prison-in-wrong-way-crash-that-killed-3-fishers-teens-melissa-ann-parker/531-93f658ab-92fc-496a-b860-e974d7b993f6
https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/hamilton-county/2021/08/17/3-fishers-teens-killed-car-crash-south-carolina/8155533002/
https://www.goupstate.com/story/news/2021/08/30/spartanburg-teens-killed-dui-crash-suspect-pleads-guilty/5637680001/
https://www.wyff4.com/article/three-teens-from-indiana-die-in-south-carolina-wrong-way-crash-with-hummer/37319748

On 08/16/2021, 33-year-old Kyle Alan Wagner died after a Newton Police Department officer pursued his car from Newton through Maiden and into Lincolnton, where Wagner crashed into a concrete bridge guardrail and his vehicle caught fire.
At approximately 1:07 a.m., a Newton police officer attempted to stop the blue 2014 Kia Forte Wagner was driving in the 1900 block of U.S. Highway 321 Business South. Police reported that Wagner initially pulled onto the right side of the road and stopped. As the officer prepared to get out of the patrol vehicle, Wagner drove away southbound on Highway 321 Business.
The Newton officer initiated a high-speed pursuit. Police continued pursuing Wagner south from Newton, through the town of Maiden and across the county line into Lincoln County. Other agencies became involved as the pursuit progressed, including Maiden police, Lincolnton police, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol and the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.
The available public accounts do not identify the specific traffic violation or other conduct that caused the Newton officer to initiate the attempted stop. They also do not provide the pursuit's maximum speed, exact distance or duration, whether supervisors monitored or authorized its continuation, or whether officers considered terminating the pursuit as it passed through multiple jurisdictions.
After police pursued Wagner into Lincolnton, he continued south on North Aspen Street. Near Deaton Avenue, Wagner lost control of the Kia, left the right side of the roadway and struck a concrete bridge guardrail. The impact caused the vehicle to catch fire.
Officers reached the wreck and pulled Wagner from the burning vehicle. They provided emergency medical assistance until Lincolnton firefighters and Lincoln County EMS arrived. Paramedics transported Wagner toward Atrium Health Lincoln, but he died from his injuries before reaching the hospital.
No available reporting indicates that a police vehicle struck Wagner's Kia, that officers used a PIT maneuver or stop sticks, or that another vehicle was involved in the fatal crash. The fatal sequence resulted from Wagner losing control while police were actively pursuing him at high speed.
Newton Police Chief Vidal Sipe publicly described the death as a tragic incident. Newton and Lincolnton police jointly investigated the fatal crash. The Lincoln County Medical Examiner’s Office was also involved.
The public record concerning the pursuit remained unusually thin after the initial reporting. Searches for later crash-reconstruction reports, dash-camera or body-camera recordings, internal pursuit reviews, investigative findings, litigation, settlements or disciplinary proceedings did not locate substantial later public documentation explaining the decision to begin and continue the high-speed pursuit.
The pursuing Newton police officer was not identified in the publicly available reporting located for this update. As a result, the officer's pursuit history, prior crashes, uses of force, complaints, disciplinary record and civil litigation cannot reliably be reviewed without risking attribution to the wrong officer.
Wagner was a Charlotte resident. Available obituary information identifies him as Kyle Alan Wagner. The later public record does not appear to contain substantial family statements or litigation challenging the police account of the pursuit or crash.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The Newton Police Department officer who initiated the traffic stop and subsequent high-speed pursuit has not been reliably identified in publicly available records located for this update.
The pursuit continued through Newton, Maiden and into Lincolnton and involved assistance from multiple law-enforcement agencies before Wagner's fatal crash. The available reporting does not identify which additional officers actively joined the pursuit as opposed to assisting at the crash scene.

https://www.wbtv.com/2021/08/16/man-dies-following-high-speed-chase-that-ended-crash/
https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/man-dies-after-fiery-crash-during-police-chase-lincoln-county/6WD7RDGOD5BSZGA4FMDGJJ4CTM/
https://860wacb.com/man-dead-after-chase-from-catawba-to-lincoln-county/
https://www.roseborosmortuary.com/obituary/Kyle-Wagner

On 08/14/2021, 69-year-old Steve Sanders was struck and killed by a Houston Police Department patrol vehicle driven by Officer Brandon Kristofer Kpotie in the 10000 block of Bissonnet Street near Woodfair Drive in southwest Houston. Kpotie was driving above the posted speed limit without activating the patrol vehicle's emergency lights or siren while responding to an arrest connected with an HPD prostitution enforcement operation.
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At approximately 9:00 p.m., Kpotie and another Houston police officer identified in court records as Officer Young were assigned to a crime-suppression team conducting a prostitution operation in southwest Houston. Kpotie and Young were sitting together in a marked HPD patrol vehicle while surveillance officers and an undercover officer conducted the operation. They were waiting for notification that an arrest was ready to be made.
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After officers involved in the operation notified Kpotie and Young that they were ready to make an arrest, Kpotie began driving the marked patrol vehicle toward the planned arrest location. Kpotie did not activate the vehicle's emergency lights or siren. The posted speed limit on Bissonnet Street was 35 mph.
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Kpotie later estimated that he had been traveling approximately 40 to 45 mph. HPD's subsequent crash reconstruction determined that the patrol vehicle was traveling approximately 55 mph about 70 feet before it struck Sanders, approximately 20 mph above the posted speed limit.
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As Kpotie traveled along Bissonnet Street, Sanders entered the roadway. Officer Young, who was riding in the passenger seat, reported seeing a shadow suddenly appear in front of the passenger side of the patrol vehicle and warned Kpotie. Kpotie said he did not see Sanders until Young alerted him. Kpotie attempted to steer to the left, but the right front portion of the police vehicle struck Sanders.
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Sanders suffered fatal injuries. He had no involvement in the prostitution enforcement operation that Kpotie and Young were responding to when the police vehicle struck him.
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The collision subsequently became the subject of civil litigation brought by Sanders's daughters against the City of Houston. In August 2022, they sued the city alleging that Sanders's death resulted from negligence involving Kpotie's operation of the police vehicle. The litigation later reached the Texas Fourteenth Court of Appeals as City of Houston v. Morris.
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The appellate record documented that Kpotie was responding to the prostitution-operation arrest without emergency lights or siren and that HPD's crash reconstruction calculated his speed at approximately 55 mph shortly before impact in the 35-mph zone. The City of Houston asserted governmental and official-immunity defenses in the litigation.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
Houston Police Officer Brandon Kristofer Kpotie was driving the marked patrol vehicle that struck and killed Sanders. Officer Young was riding in the passenger seat and was participating with Kpotie in the prostitution enforcement operation but was not driving the vehicle.
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LITIGATION:
Sanders's daughters filed a wrongful-death and survival lawsuit against the City of Houston in August 2022 arising from Kpotie's operation of the police vehicle. The litigation proceeded through the Texas courts and resulted in an appellate decision in City of Houston v. Morris addressing the city's governmental-immunity and official-immunity arguments.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/crime/article/Pedestrian-hit-killed-by-Houston-police-officer-16388400.php
https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2021/08/15/hpd-officer-hits-kills-pedestrian-on-bissonnet-street/
https://www.fox26houston.com/news/man-dies-after-getting-hit-by-hpd-patrol-vehicle-officer-found-to-be-not-at-fault
https://law.justia.com/cases/texas/fourteenth-court-of-appeals/2024/14-23-00570-cv.html