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REASON FOR CHASE: Police were responding to a hit-and-run collision reported in the Goshen area at approximately 6:00 p.m. The occupants of the vehicle struck in that collision followed the fleeing vehicle and helped Santaquin Police Department officers locate it. Police pursued the vehicle beyond Santaquin jurisdiction and requested assistance from the Utah County Sheriff's Office.
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REPORTED EVENTS:
On 04/10/2021, a 37-year-old man from Springville was killed when the vehicle he was driving crashed into a tree during a multi-agency police pursuit in Utah County, Utah.
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At approximately 6:00 p.m., authorities received a report of a hit-and-run collision in the Goshen area. The occupants of the vehicle struck in that collision followed the fleeing vehicle and provided information that helped Santaquin Police Department officers locate it.
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Santaquin police pursued the vehicle beyond their jurisdiction and requested assistance from the Utah County Sheriff's Office. Utah Department of Public Safety Agent Colton Freckleton told reporters that the Sheriff's Office generally had a no-pursuit policy, but deputies continued after the vehicle because authorities said it was being driven erratically and presented a danger to other motorists.
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The pursuit traveled north on 3200 West toward the Palmyra and Lake Shore area. Authorities estimated the vehicle was traveling approximately 60 to 80 mph.
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At approximately 4765 South, near the Palmyra-Lake Shore boundary, the vehicle veered off the left side of the roadway. The driver attempted to correct back toward the road, but the vehicle then traveled off the right side of 3200 West and struck a tree.
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The collision severely damaged the vehicle and trapped the 37-year-old Springville man inside. Fire personnel responded to extricate him, but he died from his injuries at the crash scene before rescuers could remove him from the wreckage.
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Contemporaneous reporting did not publicly identify the deceased beyond describing him as a 37-year-old man from Springville. KSL, KUTV and Gephardt Daily independently reported the fatal pursuit. The Utah Department of Public Safety investigated the fatal crash.
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The 04/10/2021 Utah County fatality documented by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System corresponds with this independently documented police-pursuit death.

https://www.ksl.com/article/50144150/man-who-fled-from-scene-of-utah-county-hit-and-run-dies-after-crashing-into-tree-with-police-in-pursuit
https://kutv.com/news/local/37-year-old-springville-man-was-killed-fleeing-from-police-after-crashing-into-a-tree
https://gephardtdaily.com/local/hit-and-run-chase-in-utah-county-ends-in-deadly-crash/
https://www.nhtsa.gov/research-data/fatality-analysis-reporting-system-fars

REASON FOR CHASE: Traffic infraction
NARRATIVE:
On 04/09/2021, 23-year-old Deterrius Minor was killed while riding as a passenger in an Infiniti Q50 that crashed during a Georgia State Patrol pursuit in Atlanta. Fellow passenger Devin Jones Jr., 22, was also killed.
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At approximately 3:00 a.m., a Georgia State Patrol trooper attempted to stop the Infiniti for speeding on northbound Interstate 85. Driver Kenneth Poole continued away from the attempted stop and the trooper pursued.
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The Infiniti entered Georgia 400 during the pursuit. Police reported that Poole turned off the vehicle's headlights while continuing at high speed in an effort to get away from the trooper.
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Poole exited Georgia 400 onto Lenox Road in Buckhead. He lost control of the Infiniti, which traveled across the intersection, struck a concrete wall, overturned and caught fire.
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The pursuing trooper reached the wreck and extinguished the fire. Minor and Jones sustained fatal injuries and died at the scene. Poole survived the collision with serious injuries and was transported to a hospital.
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All three occupants were from Memphis, Tennessee. Authorities identified the two passengers killed as Deterrius Minor and Devin Jones Jr.
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The 04/09/2021 Fulton County FARS entry documenting two fatalities corresponds with this independently documented Georgia State Patrol pursuit crash.

https://www.ajc.com/news/2-killed-1-injured-after-police-chase-ends-in-fiery-crash-on-lenox-road/5KDFDKN3BJEFFFPFNKO5XVCQ2E/
https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/breaking-lenox-road-shut-down-due-bad-crash/WQO36RYMNFC2FFXXTFB3GC4HOI/

REASON FOR CHASE: A Georgia State Patrol trooper attempted to stop an Infiniti Q50 for speeding on northbound Interstate 85 at approximately 3:00 a.m. Driver Kenneth Poole continued away from the attempted stop and a pursuit began.
NARRATIVE:
On 04/09/2021, 22-year-old Devin Jones Jr. was killed while riding as a passenger in an Infiniti Q50 that crashed during a Georgia State Patrol pursuit in Atlanta. Fellow passenger Deterrius Minor, 23, was also killed.
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At approximately 3:00 a.m., a Georgia State Patrol trooper attempted to stop the Infiniti for speeding on northbound Interstate 85. Driver Kenneth Poole continued away from the attempted stop and the trooper pursued.
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The pursuit continued onto Georgia 400. Police reported that Poole turned off the Infiniti's headlights while continuing away at high speed.
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Poole exited Georgia 400 at Lenox Road. The Infiniti traveled across the intersection, struck a concrete wall, overturned and caught fire.
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The trooper reached the wreck and extinguished the fire. Jones and Minor died at the scene. Poole survived with serious injuries and was transported to a hospital.
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Jones, Minor and Poole were all from Memphis, Tennessee. The vehicle was registered to Poole.
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The 04/09/2021 Fulton County FARS entry documenting two fatalities corresponds with this Georgia State Patrol pursuit crash.

https://www.ajc.com/news/2-killed-1-injured-after-police-chase-ends-in-fiery-crash-on-lenox-road/5KDFDKN3BJEFFFPFNKO5XVCQ2E/
https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/breaking-lenox-road-shut-down-due-bad-crash/WQO36RYMNFC2FFXXTFB3GC4HOI/

REASON FOR CHASE: Not disclosed by police.
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NARRATIVE:
On 04/09/2021, 23-year-old Tyler James McCroskey of Maryville was killed in a vehicle crash following a multi-agency police pursuit in Blount County, Tennessee.
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McCroskey was born on 05/21/1997 and was 23 years old when he died on 04/09/2021. A memorial established by his family specifically attributes his death to a high-speed police chase involving Blount County, Sevier County and state law-enforcement officers.
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The available evidence establishes a police-pursuit connection but does not provide enough reliable detail to reconstruct the complete chronology of the pursuit, including where officers first attempted to stop McCroskey, why the pursuit was initiated, the precise route traveled, speeds involved, or the exact location and mechanics of the fatal crash.
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The 04/09/2021 Blount County fatality documented by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System is consistent with the independently documented death of Tyler James McCroskey following a police pursuit.

https://everloved.com/life-of/tyler-mccroskey/
https://www.nhtsa.gov/research-data/fatality-analysis-reporting-system-fars

On 04/08/2021, Zaydin Jon Dudra, 20, was killed when off-duty Illinois Secretary of State Police Capitol Police Investigator Robert M. Hodson crossed the center line on Illinois Route 48 near East 1550 North Road between Taylorville and Stonington and crashed head-on into the Ford Focus in which Dudra was a passenger.
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Haley Anne Shoot, 19, was driving the Ford Focus. Dudra was a passenger along with Jade Thomas, 19. Shoot and Dudra were killed, while Thomas survived with catastrophic injuries that required extensive hospitalization and rehabilitation.
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Illinois State Police said Hodson was driving a 2018 Jeep Wrangler when he attempted to pass another vehicle, crossed into the opposing lane and collided head-on with Shoot's Ford Focus. Hodson was seriously injured but survived.
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The subsequent criminal investigation established considerably more about Hodson's driving. An Illinois State Police crash reconstructionist testified that physical evidence and vehicle data indicated Hodson was traveling approximately 88 mph at impact. Shoot had applied her brakes before the collision, and her vehicle was traveling approximately 30–35 mph when it was struck.
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Investigators also found evidence of extreme alcohol intoxication. Hodson declined a breath test at the scene, but subsequent testing produced a reported blood-alcohol concentration of .353, more than four times Illinois's .08 legal limit. Another measurement approximately two hours after the collision was reported at .299.
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Illinois State Police arrested Hodson after his release from the hospital. He was charged with aggravated DUI resulting in death and initially jailed on $200,000 bond. The Illinois Secretary of State's office placed him off work without pay.
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Hodson subsequently pleaded guilty to aggravated DUI resulting in death. On 08/21/2023, Christian County Circuit Judge Brad Paisley sentenced him to 18 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, with 85% of the sentence required to be served, followed by 18 months of mandatory supervised release.
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At sentencing, the court heard victim-impact testimony concerning both Dudra and Shoot and the devastating injuries suffered by Thomas. The judge cited Hodson's intoxication and extreme speed in imposing the prison sentence.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
Robert M. Hodson, 46 at the time of the crash, was an investigator with the Illinois Secretary of State Police — Capitol Police Division. Contemporary reports sometimes shortened the agency to “State Capitol Police” or described Hodson as a “Capitol Police investigator.” He was not a United States Capitol Police officer.
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Hodson was off duty when he killed Dudra and Shoot but remained a sworn Illinois law-enforcement officer. His employing agency placed him off work without pay following the crash.
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Crash reconstruction evidence subsequently placed Hodson's speed at approximately 88 mph at impact, while toxicology evidence showed a blood-alcohol concentration as high as .353 following the collision.
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Hodson pleaded guilty to aggravated DUI resulting in death and was sentenced in August 2023 to 18 years in state prison at 85%, followed by 18 months of mandatory supervised release.

https://news.yahoo.com/former-capitol-police-investigator-pleads-134441663.html
https://taylorvilledailynews.com/local-news/692129
https://taylorvilledailynews.com/local-news/703227/robert-hodson-sentenced-in-two-hour-court-hearing-monday-afternoon
https://www.wandtv.com/news/former-investigator-sentenced-to-18-years-for-dui-crash-that-left-two-dead-one-injured/article_ae5a7ac8-41eb-11ee-bbd3-0bc034d60ed0.html
https://www.heartlandnewsfeed.com/2023/08/26/former-illinois-capitol-police-officer-going-to-jail/

On 04/08/2021, Haley Anne Shoot, 19, was killed when Illinois Secretary of State Police Capitol Police Investigator Robert M. Hodson crossed the center line on Illinois Route 48 near East 1550 North Road between Taylorville and Stonington and crashed head-on into the Ford Focus Shoot was driving. The crash occurred at approximately 11 p.m.
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Shoot's passenger, Zaydin Jon Dudra, 20, was also killed. A second passenger, Jade Thomas, 19, survived with life-changing injuries. Thomas was initially hospitalized with life-threatening injuries and later required a wheelchair and had to relearn how to walk.
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Illinois State Police initially reported that Hodson was driving a 2018 Jeep Wrangler and attempted to pass another vehicle before crossing into Shoot's lane and striking her Ford Focus head-on. Hodson was seriously injured but survived.
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Evidence presented during Hodson's subsequent criminal case painted an extraordinary picture of the collision. Illinois State Police crash investigator Jacob Miller testified that reconstruction using physical evidence and data recovered from the vehicles indicated Hodson was traveling approximately 88 mph at impact. Shoot had applied the brakes, and her vehicle was estimated at approximately 30–35 mph at impact.
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Hodson declined a breath test at the crash scene. Evidence presented at sentencing showed that testing following the crash measured his blood-alcohol concentration at .353, with another measurement of .299 at approximately 1 a.m.
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Illinois State Police arrested Hodson after he was released from the hospital the following day. He was initially charged with aggravated driving under the influence involving death and was jailed on $200,000 bond. He was placed off work without pay following the crash.
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In June 2023, Hodson pleaded guilty to aggravated DUI resulting in death under a negotiated agreement that permitted a sentence ranging from probation to 20 years in prison.
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On 08/21/2023, Christian County Circuit Judge Brad Paisley sentenced Hodson to 18 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, with 85% of the sentence required to be served, followed by 18 months of mandatory supervised release. The judge specifically identified Hodson's extremely high blood-alcohol concentration and speed as major factors in imposing the sentence.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
Robert M. Hodson, 46 at the time of the collision, was an investigator with the Illinois Secretary of State Police Capitol Police Division. Contemporary reporting sometimes referred to him simply as a “Capitol Police investigator” or as working for “State Capitol Police.” He was not an officer of the United States Capitol Police in Washington, D.C.
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Hodson was off duty when he killed Shoot and Dudra. Following the collision, the Illinois Secretary of State's office placed him off work without pay.
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At sentencing, Illinois State Police reconstruction evidence placed Hodson's speed at approximately 88 mph at impact, while toxicology evidence showed a blood-alcohol concentration of .353 following the collision. Judge Paisley rejected defense attempts to shift responsibility toward the occupants of Shoot's vehicle and emphasized Hodson's intoxication and speed in imposing the prison term.
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Hodson pleaded guilty to aggravated DUI causing death and was sentenced to 18 years in prison at 85%, plus 18 months mandatory supervised release. He began serving the sentence immediately and was reported as potentially eligible for release around 2038.

https://news.yahoo.com/former-capitol-police-investigator-pleads-134441663.html
https://taylorvilledailynews.com/local-news/692129
https://taylorvilledailynews.com/local-news/703227/robert-hodson-sentenced-in-two-hour-court-hearing-monday-afternoon
https://www.wandtv.com/news/former-investigator-sentenced-to-18-years-for-dui-crash-that-left-two-dead-one-injured/article_ae5a7ac8-41eb-11ee-bbd3-0bc034d60ed0.html
https://www.heartlandnewsfeed.com/2023/08/26/former-illinois-capitol-police-officer-going-to-jail/

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REASON FOR CHASE: Stolen vehicle
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NARRATIVE:
On 04/07/2021, New Orleans police attempted to stop a male driver in a vehicle police identified as stolen. The driver continued away and NOPD officers pursued through New Orleans.
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During the pursuit, the driver traveled at high speed before crashing into an NOPD patrol vehicle near North Claiborne Avenue and Esplanade Avenue. The pursued vehicle sustained severe damage in the collision.
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The male driver suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead. An NOPD officer in the patrol vehicle was injured and transported to a hospital for treatment.
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The fatal crash occurred while NOPD was operating under a restrictive vehicle-pursuit policy adopted during the department's federal consent-decree reforms. The policy generally restricted pursuits to circumstances involving an imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury and required supervisory authorization.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The officers involved in this pursuit were not publicly identified.

https://www.wdsu.com/article/nopd-suspect-dies-crash-during-police-chase-new-orleans/36101217
https://www.wwltv.com/article/news/local/suspect-dies-after-crashing-into-patrol-car-following-nopd-pursuit/289-f9b39b4f-7ea7-4ce8-b037-d7e2e6a5b146
https://www.nola.com/news/crime_police/article_71c7ef62-97a1-11eb-a6f8-13f51398e0ee.html

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NARRATIVE:
On 04/07/2021 at approximately 4:00 a.m., Noah Joseph Ford, 24, of Sherman was attempting to cross U.S. Highway 75 near State Highway 56 and the Travelers Inn when he was struck by a southbound pickup truck driven by an off-duty Sherman Police Department officer. Ford was pronounced dead at the scene.
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The collision occurred in an area undergoing major highway construction where the pedestrian bridge had been removed. A witness told local media that pedestrians had been crossing highway barriers in the area to travel to and from the nearby motel.
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The off-duty officer immediately called 911 and remained at the scene. Sherman police closed the southbound lanes of U.S. 75 for approximately three hours while investigators processed the fatal crash.
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Sherman Police Sgt. Brett Mullen said the department would conduct a full investigation and hold the off-duty officer to the same standards applied in any other fatal motor-vehicle investigation.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The off-duty Sherman police officer driving the pickup was not publicly identified in the contemporaneous reporting.

https://www.heralddemocrat.com/story/news/2021/04/07/off-duty-spd-officer-involved-pedestrian-fatality-wreck/7123264002/

On 04/07/2021, Sam Gillings, 33, was struck and killed by a Miami-Dade Police Department vehicle on the South Miami-Dade Busway near Southwest 211th Street and U.S. 1. The collision occurred shortly after midnight, one day before Gillings' 34th birthday.
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Gillings was a pedestrian on the busway, a restricted roadway used by buses and emergency vehicles including police and fire vehicles. A Miami-Dade police vehicle traveling on the busway struck him.
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Gillings was killed in the collision. He was the father of two children. His family said Miami-Dade traffic-homicide investigators subsequently contacted them and told them that he had been struck by a police officer.
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According to Gillings' family, investigators told them that Gillings had been lying in the busway before he was struck and questioned family members about whether he might have been suicidal. His sisters strongly disputed that suggestion and questioned why the officer had failed to see him in the roadway before the collision.
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Two weeks after Gillings' death, his family said they still had not been given the identity of the officer driving the police vehicle. They publicly demanded additional information about the collision and questioned the official account of how Gillings came to be in the roadway.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The Miami-Dade Police Department officer who struck and killed Sam Gillings was not publicly identified in the contemporary reporting located. Gillings' family specifically complained that authorities had not told them who was driving the police vehicle.

https://wsvn.com/news/investigations/family-demands-answers-after-south-florida-man-hit-killed-by-police-car-on-miami-dade-busway/

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REASON FOR CHASE: Speeding
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NARRATIVE:
On 04/04/2021 at approximately 9:00 a.m., Lorrence M. Thompson, 30, of Calumet City, Illinois, was riding a motorcycle on Interstate 495 when a Virginia State Police trooper clocked him at approximately 124 mph in a 55-mph zone. The trooper activated emergency lights and siren and pursued Thompson, but terminated the pursuit as Thompson approached the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.
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At approximately 10:22 a.m., the same trooper encountered Thompson again on I-495 traveling at high speed. Police again attempted to stop him and pursued as Thompson entered southbound Interstate 95. Troopers terminated this second pursuit after Thompson began traveling between lanes of traffic.
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At approximately 10:30 a.m., Thompson rear-ended a Toyota Tacoma on southbound I-95 at mile marker 162 near the Lorton Road interchange. The impact ejected Thompson from the motorcycle and caused the motorcycle to catch fire. Troopers administered first aid, but Thompson died at the scene.
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The driver of the Toyota Tacoma was injured and transported to a hospital with minor injuries. The crash shut down the southbound interstate for approximately four hours while Virginia State Police investigated.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The Virginia State Police trooper who attempted both traffic stops and initiated both pursuits was not publicly identified.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/i-95-crash-motorcycle/2021/04/04/bf1e5730-9568-11eb-b28d-bfa7bb5cb2a5_story.html

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REASON FOR CHASE: Reportedly pointed handgun at motorists
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NARRATIVE:
On 04/04/2021, Michael Ray Wagner, 47, of Geneva, Indiana, was driving a red 1999 Pontiac Firebird on Frankfort Road in Shelby County. Shelbyville police were looking for the Firebird after motorists reported that its driver had stopped in the travel portion of the roadway and pointed a handgun at other motorists.
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A Shelbyville police officer located Wagner, activated emergency lights and attempted a traffic stop. Wagner continued east on Frankfort Road while the officer pursued. Kentucky State Police reported that the pursuit covered approximately two to three miles.
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During the pursuit, Wagner traveled at high speed, lost control of the Firebird and crashed. Wagner was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene by the Shelby County Coroner. No other fatalities or injuries were reported.
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Kentucky State Police Post 12 Collision Reconstruction investigated the fatal crash, assisted by Shelbyville police, the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, Shelby County Fire and EMS and the county coroner.
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Wagner was born on 12/21/1973 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and lived in Geneva. His obituary described him as someone who loved spending time with family and friends, cars and music. He was survived by a daughter, three grandchildren and two sisters.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The Shelbyville police officer who initiated the pursuit was not publicly identified.

https://www.kentuckystatepolice.ky.gov/news/p12-4-5-2021
https://www.wlky.com/article/ksp-investigating-after-shelby-county-police-pursuit-ends-in-fatal-crash-1617630833/36026414
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/chronicle-tribune/name/michael-wagner-obituary?id=6713419
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/226579784/michael-ray-wagner

REASON FOR CHASE: Drove away from police contact
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NARRATIVE:
On 04/03/2021 shortly after 6:00 a.m., Vallejo police responded to Redwood Street and Chenin Blanc Place after a caller reported a man slumped over the steering wheel of an idling vehicle. Officers approached and spoke with the 32-year-old Contra Costa County man. Police said he then drove away at high speed, and officers pursued.
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The pursuit reached more than 85 mph in a 40-mph zone on Columbus Parkway. Police reported that pursuing officers generally remained approximately 30 to 50 yards behind the vehicle. The chase lasted less than one minute and covered just over one mile.
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The driver lost control and crashed into a tree. Officers attempted to reach him but were unable to safely remove him from the wreckage. Paramedics arrived and pronounced him dead at the scene. No other fatalities or injuries were reported.
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Police subsequently determined that the vehicle had been reported stolen in Walnut Creek and that the driver was wanted on a parole matter. Those facts were discovered after the pursuit began; the original police contact resulted from the report of a man slumped behind the wheel rather than police initially recognizing a stolen vehicle or wanted parolee.
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Vallejo Police invoked the Solano County Officer Involved Fatal Incident Protocol. The Solano County Major Crimes Task Force investigated the fatal incident, while the California Highway Patrol Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team handled the collision investigation.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The Vallejo police officers involved in the pursuit were not publicly identified.

https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/suspect-dies-in-fatal-crash-during-vallejo-police-pursuit/
https://abcnews.com/US/wanted-parolee-stolen-car-dies-moments-slamming-tree/story?id=76864482
https://www.sfchronicle.com/crime/article/Contra-Costa-County-man-dies-in-vehicle-crash-16075574.php
https://eastcountytoday.net/contra-costa-man-dies-after-leading-vallejo-police-on-pursuit/

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REASON FOR CHASE: Defective headlight and traffic violations
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NARRATIVE:
On 04/02/2021 at approximately 8:30 p.m., Coweta County sheriff’s deputies were stationed near the Interstate 85 exit at Weldon Road when they saw a Kia Forte driven by Jamaal Willis-Powell, 30, of Covington, pass with a defective headlight. A deputy followed and observed the Kia illegally pass a vehicle stopped at a red light before turning onto Collinsworth Road. The deputy then activated emergency lights and siren to initiate a traffic stop.
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Willis-Powell continued driving while deputies pursued. The Kia crossed double-yellow lines to pass other vehicles and reached approximately 70 mph in a 45-mph zone. The pursuit covered about 1.7 to two miles and lasted approximately one minute and 41 seconds.
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As the pursuit approached the Fulton County line, deputies fell behind and lost sight of the Kia. Shortly afterward, they found it crashed into a tree near Fayetteville Road and Taylor Circle. Willis-Powell was trapped in the wreckage and had to be cut from the vehicle. He died at the scene. His passenger, Jasmine Simone Hayes, 28, was ejected and also killed.
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After the crash, authorities reported that the Kia’s license plate was registered to a different vehicle and that Willis-Powell had outstanding felony burglary warrants from Gwinnett County. Those warrants were not the reason deputies initially attempted to stop the Kia.
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The Georgia State Patrol investigated the fatal crash. Coweta County Sheriff’s Office subsequently released body-camera footage documenting the pursuit.

https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/police-chase-in-coweta-county-ends-in-double-fatal-crash
https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/coweta-county-deputies-release-body-camera-video-of-deadly-high-speed-chase
https://www.ajc.com/news/2-killed-after-leading-coweta-deputies-on-high-speed-chase/63USUJB255ASVHD6HCXYE4KT2Q/

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REASON FOR CHASE: Passenger killed during defective-headlight and traffic-violation pursuit
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NARRATIVE:
On 04/02/2021 at approximately 8:30 p.m., Jasmine Simone Hayes, 28, of Palmetto was a passenger in a Kia Forte traveling near the Interstate 85 exit at Weldon Road when Coweta County sheriff’s deputies noticed the vehicle had a defective headlight. A deputy followed and saw the Kia illegally pass a vehicle stopped at a red light before turning onto Collinsworth Road. The deputy activated emergency lights and siren and attempted a traffic stop.
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The driver continued away while deputies pursued. The Kia crossed double-yellow lines while passing other vehicles and reached approximately 70 mph in a 45-mph zone. The pursuit covered approximately 1.7 to two miles and lasted one minute and 41 seconds.
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Deputies lost sight of the Kia as it approached the Fulton County line. The vehicle subsequently left the roadway and crashed into a tree near Fayetteville Road and Taylor Circle. Hayes was ejected from the vehicle and killed. The driver, Jamaal Willis-Powell, 30, was trapped in the wreckage and also died.
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Authorities subsequently reported that Hayes was wanted by the Palmetto Police Department on obstruction, theft-by-receiving and weapons charges. Those warrants were not identified as the reason Coweta deputies initiated the traffic stop and pursuit.
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The Georgia State Patrol investigated the fatal crash. Coweta County Sheriff’s Office later released body-camera footage showing the pursuit.

https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/police-chase-in-coweta-county-ends-in-double-fatal-crash
https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/coweta-county-deputies-release-body-camera-video-of-deadly-high-speed-chase
https://www.ajc.com/news/2-killed-after-leading-coweta-deputies-on-high-speed-chase/63USUJB255ASVHD6HCXYE4KT2Q/

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REASON FOR CHASE: Speeding without headlights
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NARRATIVE:
On 04/02/2021 at approximately 4:00 a.m., a male driver was traveling in a Chevrolet Camaro on Westheimer Road when a Harris County Precinct 5 deputy observed the car traveling close to 100 mph without its headlights illuminated. The deputy attempted a traffic stop and the driver continued away while deputies pursued.
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The pursuit continued onto the Sam Houston Tollway and lasted approximately four minutes. Precinct 5 officials said deputies were attempting to catch the Camaro as it traveled at high speed toward Clay Road.
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The Camaro exited the tollway at Clay Road and crashed into a Ford Ranger traveling west on Clay. The impact caused the Ford Ranger to burst into flames. The Camaro overturned and its driver was ejected. Both drivers were killed.
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The second person killed was an uninvolved male motorist driving the Ford Ranger. Harris County Precinct 5 Assistant Chief Terry Allbritton publicly expressed condolences to the man's family after the crash.
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The crash closed the area for nearly seven hours while investigators documented the scene and cleared the wreckage.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The Harris County Precinct 5 deputy who initiated the pursuit was not publicly identified.

https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2021/04/06/fiery-crash-on-westheimer-after-police-pursuit-leaves-2-dead/
https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/houston-police-chase-crash-westheimer/285-8b79c43d-2c22-47d0-97d7-38a124ba7f09

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REASON FOR CHASE: Speeding without headlights
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NARRATIVE:
On 04/02/2021 at approximately 4:00 a.m., a male driver was traveling in a Chevrolet Camaro on Westheimer Road when a Harris County Precinct 5 deputy observed the car traveling close to 100 mph without its headlights illuminated. The deputy attempted a traffic stop and the driver continued away while deputies pursued.
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The pursuit continued onto the Sam Houston Tollway and lasted approximately four minutes. Precinct 5 officials said deputies were attempting to catch the Camaro as it traveled at high speed toward Clay Road.
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The Camaro exited the tollway at Clay Road and crashed into a Ford Ranger traveling west on Clay. The impact caused the Ford Ranger to burst into flames. The Camaro overturned and its driver was ejected. Both drivers were killed.
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The second person killed was an uninvolved male motorist driving the Ford Ranger. Harris County Precinct 5 Assistant Chief Terry Allbritton publicly expressed condolences to the man's family after the crash.
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The crash closed the area for nearly seven hours while investigators documented the scene and cleared the wreckage.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The Harris County Precinct 5 deputy who initiated the pursuit was not publicly identified.

https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2021/04/06/fiery-crash-on-westheimer-after-police-pursuit-leaves-2-dead/
https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/houston-police-chase-crash-westheimer/285-8b79c43d-2c22-47d0-97d7-38a124ba7f09

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REASON FOR CHASE: Bystander killed during speeding pursuit
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NARRATIVE:
On 04/02/2021 at approximately 4:20 a.m., an unidentified male motorist was driving a Ford Ranger west on Clay Road when a Chevrolet Camaro being pursued by a Harris County Precinct 5 deputy approached the intersection at high speed. The pursuit had begun after the deputy saw the Camaro traveling at high speed without headlights.
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The Camaro reached speeds approaching 100 mph during the approximately four-minute pursuit. Precinct 5 reported that the deputy was unable to catch the Camaro because of its speed. The Camaro exited the West Sam Houston Parkway at Clay Road and entered the intersection against a red light.
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The Camaro struck the man's Ford Ranger with extreme force. The Ranger caught fire with the driver trapped inside. When the deputy reached the crash, the truck was engulfed in flames and the deputy attempted to extinguish the fire, but the driver could not escape and died at the scene. The Camaro overturned and its driver was ejected and also killed.
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Harris County Precinct 5 Assistant Chief Terry Allbritton expressed condolences to the bystander's family and described the impact as so violent that the Ranger driver likely never saw the Camaro approaching. Houston Police Department Vehicular Crimes Division investigated the double-fatality crash under incident number 043153921-M.

https://abc13.com/police-chase-car-fire-west-beltway-ends-in/10472856/
https://www.houstontx.gov/police/nr/2021/apr/nr210402-7.htm
https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2021/04/02/suspect-innocent-driver-killed-after-chase-ends-in-fiery-crash-in-northwest-houston/
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/crime/article/Innocent-driver-suspect-killed-in-Houston-crash-16071920.php
https://www.fox26houston.com/news/2-drivers-dead-after-fiery-crash-in-northwest-houston

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REASON FOR CHASE: Speeding without headlights
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NARRATIVE:
On 04/02/2021 at approximately 4:20 a.m., a Harris County Precinct 5 deputy constable observed a man driving a Chevrolet Camaro at high speed without headlights in the 2700 block of West Sam Houston Parkway North. The deputy attempted a traffic stop, and the driver continued away at high speed while the deputy pursued.
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The pursuit lasted approximately four minutes. Precinct 5 reported that deputies never caught up with the Camaro during the chase. The driver exited the West Sam Houston Parkway at Clay Road and entered the intersection against a red light.
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The Camaro struck a Ford Ranger traveling west on Clay Road. Both vehicles caught fire, and the Camaro driver and the uninvolved driver of the Ford Ranger were killed at the scene.
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Houston Police Department Vehicular Crimes Division investigated the fatal collision under incident number 043153921-M.

https://abc13.com/police-chase-car-fire-west-beltway-ends-in/10472856/?utm_source_
https://abc13.com/police-chase-car-fire-west-beltway-ends-in/10472856/

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NARRATIVE:
On 03/31/2021 at approximately 6:45 p.m., Melanie Painter, 53, of Groveton was driving a 2019 Jeep Wrangler on State Highway 94 approximately six miles west of Groveton. Texas DPS Trooper Brady Germeroth, 37, of Crockett was traveling west in a marked Chevrolet patrol vehicle when he observed a traffic violation by a separate eastbound vehicle and made a U-turn to pursue that vehicle.
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As Germeroth attempted to re-enter the eastbound lane, a 2003 Mack truck tractor pulling a pole trailer, driven eastbound by Chad Deford, 35, crossed into the westbound lane and collided head-on with Painter's Jeep. The Mack then crossed back over the eastbound lane, struck the right rear of Germeroth's patrol vehicle, left the roadway, overturned onto its passenger side and caught fire.
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Painter suffered critical injuries and was transported to Crockett Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. Deford and Germeroth were not injured. The vehicle Germeroth had turned around to stop was not reported as being involved in the collision.
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Texas DPS investigated the three-vehicle fatal crash.

https://kicks105.com/dps-trooper-involved-in-fatal-accident-on-hwy-94-near-groveton/
https://www.ktre.com/2021/04/01/vehicle-crash-involving-state-trooper-leaves-dead-trinity-county/

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NARRATIVE:
On 03/30/2021 at approximately 6:00 p.m., Helen M. Quarles, 65, of Locust Grove was driving home from her job at a state probation office. Quarles was driving a Nissan Altima on Route 669 and attempting to cross Route 3 near Carrico Mills Road when her car was struck in the driver's side by a Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office Chevrolet Tahoe driven by Lt. Ashleigh Kristen Baughan. Quarles was wearing her seat belt and died at the scene. Baughan suffered minor injuries.
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Baughan was on duty but was not responding to an emergency or participating in a pursuit. Her emergency lights and siren were not activated. Evidence developed after the crash alleged that Baughan was traveling approximately 75 mph in the 55-mph zone immediately before the collision.
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Virginia State Police investigated the crash with its Culpeper Division Crash Reconstruction Team. Baughan was subsequently charged with reckless driving in connection with Quarles' death. In October 2022, she was found not guilty of reckless driving.
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Quarles' son filed a $5.3 million wrongful-death lawsuit against Baughan and Culpeper County Sheriff Scott Jenkins. The lawsuit alleged that Baughan was driving substantially above the posted speed limit without an emergency justification when she struck Quarles' vehicle. The litigation specifically challenged the sheriff's office's responsibility for Baughan's driving and Quarles' death.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
Ashleigh Kristen Baughan was a Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office supervisor. Employment records identify her as a 1st Sergeant, badge 304. She later left the sheriff’s office in 2023.

https://fredericksburg.com/news/local/son-of-woman-killed-in-route-3-crash-files-5-3-million-suit-against-culpeper/article_d428bdab-a476-5adb-a5eb-b9518cc9030d.html
https://www.29news.com/2021/03/31/vsp-investigating-fatal-crash-involving-deputy-with-culpeper-co-sheriffs-office/
https://starexponent.com/news/son-files-5-3-million-suit-against-culpeper-sheriff-lieutenant-in-fatal-route-3-crash/article_0398d333-da4b-58f6-ac91-35ad36fff80e.html

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REASON FOR CHASE: Loud-music disturbance
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NARRATIVE:
On 03/30/2021 shortly after 3:15 a.m., Daiquan Tarez Wright, 25, of Emporia was sitting in a Ford Crown Victoria in the parking lot of the Quality Motel on U.S. Route 301 when the Greensville County Sheriff’s Office received a disturbance complaint about loud music coming from the vehicle. A deputy responded, and police said Wright drove from the parking lot as the deputy arrived.
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The deputy pursued Wright onto Liberty Road. Virginia State Police reported that Wright reached approximately 60 mph during the pursuit.
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Wright encountered standing water on Liberty Road and lost control of the Crown Victoria. The car left the roadway and struck a mailbox, fire hydrant, fence and tree before overturning onto its side. Wright was not wearing a seat belt and died at the scene. No other fatalities or injuries were reported.
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Virginia State Police investigated the fatal crash, with its crash reconstruction team assisting. State police said alcohol had not yet been ruled in or out as a contributing factor during the initial investigation.

https://www.wric.com/news/local-news/state-police-investigating-fatal-crash-in-greensville-following-pursuit/
https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/daiquan-tarez-wright-dead-crash-greensville-county-virginia

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REASON FOR CHASE: Traffic stop — reason not disclosed
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NARRATIVE:
On 03/30/2021 at approximately 4:00 p.m., Gage Allen Salsman, 27, of Henrietta was riding a motorcycle when law enforcement attempted to stop him in Henrietta. Police did not publicly disclose the original reason for the attempted traffic stop. Salsman continued driving and officers pursued him from Clay County into Wichita County.
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The pursuit continued west on U.S. Highway 287 toward Wichita Falls and reached approximately 105 mph. During the chase, police reported seeing Salsman slow the motorcycle and throw unidentified objects from it. The pursuit eventually entered Wichita Falls.
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At Kell Boulevard and Scott Avenue, witnesses reported that Salsman lowered his head, accelerated and entered the intersection against a red light at more than 85 mph. His motorcycle struck the front-left side of an SUV. The motorcycle exploded on impact and was engulfed in flames. Salsman was killed.
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Several people were inside the SUV. A pregnant woman was transported to a hospital with minor injuries, and other people in the SUV also suffered minor injuries. No one in the SUV was killed.
.
Texas Department of Public Safety investigated the fatal collision. Salsman was the father of two sons, William and Waylon. His family remembered him as someone who loved motorcycles, working with his hands, fishing and the outdoors.
.

https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/local-news/chase-involving-a-motorcycle-ends-in-fatal-crash/
https://www.newschannel6now.com/2021/03/30/first-responders-called-crash-kell-blvd-scott/
https://www.newschannel6now.com/2021/03/31/texas-dps-identifies-victim-wf-motorcycle-crash/
https://www.kwtx.com/2021/04/01/texas-man-dies-in-fiery-motorcycle-crash-after-leading-officers-on-high-speed-chase/
https://everloved.com/life-of/gage-salsman/obituary/ 

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REASON FOR CHASE: Felony arrest warrants
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NARRATIVE:
On 03/30/2021 shortly before 8:00 a.m., Troy Police Officer Shane Marker went to the Imperial Court area looking for Jalen T. Alexander, 19, who was wanted on Miami County and Greene County warrants. The Miami County case included allegations of felonious assault and child abuse/endangering after Alexander was accused of firing a handgun at his girlfriend's father. Marker knew Alexander was associated with a red Jeep Cherokee registered to his girlfriend, Tashaya Tipton.
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Marker saw the Jeep running in a driveway and requested another officer before attempting to stop it after it left the residence. Alexander continued away with Tipton riding in the front passenger seat, and Marker pursued south on State Route 202.
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The pursuit lasted approximately seven and a half minutes and covered about 11 miles, reaching approximately 120 mph. Alexander crossed center lines, traveled through intersections and nearly struck other vehicles. Police radio traffic recorded Marker saying several times that he was backing off, including because of traffic, but the pursuit was never terminated before the fatal crash.
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A Miami County sheriff's deputy deployed stop sticks at State Route 202 and Ross Road. Alexander attempted to avoid them, but the Jeep's right-front tire was punctured. Police later said the crash occurred too soon afterward for substantial tire deflation to have occurred.
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At U.S. 40 and State Route 202, Alexander entered the intersection against a red light and struck a Volkswagen driven by Chelsey Vollmer, 32, who was traveling to work with her 17-month-old daughter in the back seat. Alexander and Vollmer were pronounced dead at the scene. Tipton and Vollmer's daughter survived with serious injuries. Vollmer's daughter suffered fractured ribs and an enlarged spleen.
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Police said Tipton later told investigators that Alexander saw the red light and Vollmer's approaching vehicle but made no attempt to avoid the collision, telling Tipton immediately beforehand, “If I’m going, you’re coming with me.” No gun or other contraband was recovered from the Jeep after the crash.
.
The pursuit prompted public criticism over whether an 11-mile chase reaching 120 mph should have continued. Signs placed near the crash site asked whether the chase had been necessary and called attention to the danger police pursuits pose to uninvolved motorists. Troy Police Chief Shawn McKinney maintained that Marker acted within the department's pursuit policy.
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Vollmer's estate filed a wrongful-death lawsuit in 2023 against the City of Troy, Marker, Sgt. John Marshall, Capt. Zachariah Mumford and McKinney, alleging police should have terminated the pursuit because of its extreme speeds, traffic conditions and danger to the public. In July 2026, the Ohio Second District Court of Appeals ruled that the city and officers were entitled to governmental immunity and ordered judgment in their favor.
.
OFFICER BACKGROUND:
Shane Marker was the Troy police officer who pursued Alexander. Marshall, Mumford and McKinney were supervisory officials whose actions during the pursuit were examined in the subsequent wrongful-death litigation. McKinney testified that Alexander's warrants and police belief that he might possess a handgun justified continuing the pursuit. Troy police had conducted 12 pursuits in 2020 and terminated six of them for safety reasons.

https://www.daytondailynews.com/crime/teen-driver-with-warrants-flees-troy-police-dayton-mom-killed-in-crash/MABRRF2RUJCD3IBJ4BVXMWJ3MU/
https://www.daytondailynews.com/local/troy-police-to-hold-press-conference-on-chase-double-fatal-crash-today/YPDCAGL365A3XIXAINTJ4ZKXIU/
https://www.daytondailynews.com/crime/deadly-120-mph-police-chase-troy-man-suspected-of-shooting-at-girlfriends-father/62TETXDSTBA5PDRE7CT55ES2GQ/
https://www.daytondailynews.com/local/wrongful-death-suit-vs-city-of-troy-continues-3-years-after-police-chase-crash/G5EDH7VAEBEW5GDIUI4RB3YS2M/
https://www.whio.com/news/local/watch-live-troy-police-discuss-deadly-pursuit-that-killed-2-people/C7ULQ2TS2RHIBIUIYXQ6CPWTWM/
https://www.whio.com/news/local/ive-got-get-this-baby-woman-helps-comfort-child-that-survived-miami-county-crash/LNYCNZT7WVBRZNRKCQNPK3PFGU/
https://law.justia.com/cases/ohio/second-district-court-of-appeals/2026/30686.html
https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/rod/docs/pdf/2/2026/2026-Ohio-2526.pdf

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REASON FOR CHASE: Bystander killed during felony-warrant pursuit
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NARRATIVE:
On 03/30/2021 shortly after 8:00 a.m., Chelsey R. Vollmer, 32, of Dayton was driving to work with her young child secured in the back seat when a Jeep driven by Jalen Alexander, 19, approached the intersection of U.S. 40 and State Route 202 during a high-speed Troy Police Department pursuit.
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Officer Shane Marker had been looking for Alexander, who had outstanding Miami and Greene County warrants. The Miami County warrant arose from an earlier incident in which Alexander was accused of firing a gun at his girlfriend's father. Marker saw a Jeep associated with Alexander leave an Imperial Court residence and followed it before attempting a stop.
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Alexander continued away and Marker pursued for approximately 11 miles. The chase lasted about seven and a half minutes and reached approximately 120 mph. During the pursuit, Alexander crossed center lines, traveled through intersections and nearly struck other vehicles. Marker reported backing off at points during the chase, and Chief Shawn McKinney directed that the pursuit be terminated if it reached traffic in Huber Heights.
.
A Miami County sheriff's deputy deployed stop sticks at State Route 202 and Ross Road. Alexander attempted to avoid them, but the Jeep's right-front tire was punctured. Police said the crash occurred too soon afterward for the stop sticks to have substantially deflated the tire.
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Alexander continued toward U.S. 40 and entered the intersection against a red light. His Jeep struck Vollmer's Volkswagen broadside at approximately 108 mph. Vollmer and Alexander were pronounced dead at the scene. Alexander's passenger, Tashaya Tipton, survived. Vollmer's young child also survived and was taken to Dayton Children's Hospital with injuries.
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Neighbors who reached Vollmer's vehicle after the crash heard her child crying and remained with the child until paramedics arrived. The child was alert with a bump and scratches and was later expected to be released from the hospital.
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In January 2023, Marsha Gillespie, administrator of Vollmer's estate, filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the City of Troy, Officer Marker, Sgt. John Marshall, Capt. Zachariah Mumford and Chief McKinney. The lawsuit alleged police continued an extraordinarily dangerous pursuit despite speeds exceeding 120 mph, heavy traffic and Alexander's dangerous driving, and alleged the pursuit should have been terminated under department policy. The city and officers denied wrongdoing and asserted statutory immunity.
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The case remained active for years. In 2026, the Ohio Second District Court of Appeals reversed the trial court's refusal to grant immunity. On 07/02/2026, the appellate court ruled that Marker, Marshall, Mumford, McKinney and the City of Troy were legally immune from damages, finding the evidence insufficient to establish the level of willful, wanton or reckless conduct required to overcome Ohio governmental immunity. The case was remanded for entry of judgment in their favor.
.
OFFICER BACKGROUND:
Officer Shane Marker was the Troy officer who initiated and continued the pursuit. Sgt. John Marshall, Capt. Zachariah Mumford and Chief Shawn McKinney were identified as supervisory personnel in the subsequent litigation. Troy had conducted 12 vehicle pursuits during 2020 and terminated six of them for safety reasons. Chief McKinney maintained after Vollmer's death that Marker had complied with the department's pursuit policy.

https://www.daytondailynews.com/local/wrongful-death-suit-vs-city-of-troy-continues-3-years-after-police-chase-crash/G5EDH7VAEBEW5GDIUI4RB3YS2M/
https://www.daytondailynews.com/crime/teen-driver-with-warrants-flees-troy-police-dayton-mom-killed-in-crash/MABRRF2RUJCD3IBJ4BVXMWJ3MU/
https://www.daytondailynews.com/traffic/medics-respond-after-pursuit-ends-in-crash-at-us-40-and-state-route-202/CLXFFIQJEBCH5KCZCYH5TRXVC4/
https://www.daytondailynews.com/crime/deadly-120-mph-police-chase-troy-man-suspected-of-shooting-at-girlfriends-father/62TETXDSTBA5PDRE7CT55ES2GQ/
https://www.daytondailynews.com/local/troy-police-to-hold-press-conference-on-chase-double-fatal-crash-today/YPDCAGL365A3XIXAINTJ4ZKXIU/
https://www.whio.com/news/local/watch-live-troy-police-discuss-deadly-pursuit-that-killed-2-people/C7ULQ2TS2RHIBIUIYXQ6CPWTWM/
https://law.justia.com/cases/ohio/second-district-court-of-appeals/2026/30686.html
https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/rod/docs/pdf/2/2026/2026-Ohio-2526.pdf

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REASON FOR CHASE: Pursuit done for moving violation.
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NARRATIVE:
On 03/29/2021 at approximately 3:00 a.m., Nathaly Medina, 19, was riding in the back seat of a car driven by 23-year-old Jose Alan Lara-Garcia when Tulsa police encountered the vehicle driving recklessly near East 61st Street and South Peoria Avenue. Officers attempted to stop the car, and Lara-Garcia continued west on 61st Street while police pursued.
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The pursuit continued toward Riverside Drive. At 61st Street and Riverside, Lara-Garcia lost control, traveled through the intersection, grazed a pole and launched the car off the roadway into the Arkansas River.
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A male passenger was found unconscious in the river. A Tulsa police officer entered the water and rescued him. He was hospitalized in critical condition. Lara-Garcia survived the crash and was also recovered from the river. Medina could not initially be located, and police determined that a third person had been inside the vehicle.
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On the morning of 03/30/2021, after river conditions had calmed and the water receded, the Tulsa Police Department Dive Team located Medina's body near where the vehicle had entered the Arkansas River. Medina would have turned 20 the following day.
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Police initially questioned Lara-Garcia after he was evaluated at a hospital and released him. After Medina's body was recovered, police sought him on a first-degree manslaughter charge. Lara-Garcia subsequently turned himself in and was booked into the Tulsa County Jail on manslaughter and eluding charges. Police stated that he had not been wanted on an outstanding warrant before the pursuit began.
.

https://www.newson6.com/story/635921a92e32e007b04eed3f/man-pleads-guilty-to-manslaughter-for-deadly-crash-during-police-chase-

https://ktul.com/news/local/memorial-for-crash-victim
https://www.newson6.com/story/606935e98f47850bf2e34840/fundraiser-held-for-family-of-victim-who-died-during-police-pursuit
https://ktul.com/news/local/body-found-in-arkansas-river-tpd-dive-team-on-scene
https://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news/tulsa-police-in-search-of-third-person-from-early-morning-police-chase
https://www.newson6.com/story/6063326c1ba8ef0bdc16ca76/tulsa-police-identify-woman-killed-in-arkansas-river-crash-driver-turns-himself-in

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REASON FOR CHASE: Bystander killed during pursuit of vehicle occupants reportedly armed with a firearm
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NARRATIVE:
On 03/27/2021 at approximately 6:20 p.m., San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies responded to the 25300 block of Baseline Street in Highland after receiving a report of two men inside a Honda sedan with a firearm. A deputy contacted the occupants, and the Honda drove away at high speed. Deputies pursued.
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The pursuit was short. A pursuing deputy became involved in a separate collision at Del Rosa Avenue and Pacific Street, and deputies terminated the pursuit so assistance could be provided at that crash. The Honda continued away after police stopped pursuing it.
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Police reported that the Honda continued at an estimated 80 to 100 mph. A handgun and ammunition were thrown from the vehicle near the 25500 block of Pacific Street. Investigators recovered a fired cartridge and found that a bullet had struck a nearby residence.
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More than a mile from where deputies had terminated the pursuit, the Honda entered the intersection of Pacific Street and Victoria Avenue against a red light and struck a northbound 2005 Suzuki sedan driven by Paulette Joanne Samuel, 58, of Highland. The collision involved three vehicles. Samuel suffered major injuries and was transported to a hospital, where she died at 7:20 p.m.
.
Joshua Williams Sr., 27, and passenger Marcus Johnathan Campbell, 35, suffered moderate injuries and attempted to flee on foot after the collision. Deputies responding to the crash detained both men.
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DISPOSITION:
The San Bernardino County District Attorney subsequently charged Williams with murder, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, evading a police officer causing death, hit-and-run causing death or serious injury, DUI causing injury, felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and other offenses. The felony complaint specifically identifies Paulette Joanne Samuel as the person killed and lists Superior Court case FSB21001273.

https://www.sbsun.com/2021/03/28/highland-driver-killed-when-her-car-is-struck-by-suspects-who-had-fled-police/
https://sbcountyda.org/2021/03/31/joshua-williams-sr-charged-with-murder-in-highland/
https://sbcountyda.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/42/2021/03/2021-00-0014517_Williams.pdf

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REASON FOR CHASE: Traffic stop — reason not publicly disclosed
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NARRATIVE:
On 03/25/2021 at approximately 11:45 a.m., Prattville Police Department officers attempted to stop a vehicle on U.S. Highway 82. Prattville Police Chief Mark Thompson said the driver accelerated away from officers, and police pursued at high speed. The department did not publicly disclose what prompted the attempted traffic stop.
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The pursuit continued on Highway 82 before the driver lost control and crashed between Doster Road Cutoff and Washington Ferry Road. Two occupants of the vehicle were injured and transported to a hospital.
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The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency took over investigation of the pursuit crash. The contemporaneous WSFA report did not identify either occupant, the pursuing officers, the speeds reached during the pursuit, or the circumstances immediately preceding the loss of control.

https://www.wsfa.com/2021/03/25/highway-closed-after-incident-during-pursuit/
https://www.wsfa.com/video/2021/03/25/incident-during-chase-highway-prattville/

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REASON FOR CHASE: Passenger killed during unauthorized pursuit of vehicle taken without permission
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NARRATIVE:
On 03/25/2021, Zayne Ortiz, 14, was a passenger in a GMC Terrain driven by a 12-year-old girl who had taken her stepfather's vehicle without permission. Little Rock police pursued the SUV through the city before it left the roadway and overturned, killing Zayne. Two other young occupants survived.
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Little Rock police did not publicly disclose that Zayne had been killed during a police pursuit. The department's own subsequent internal investigation characterized the chase as an “unauthorized pursuit.” The circumstances remained outside public view until July 2022, more than a year after Zayne's death, when the pursuit was uncovered and reported publicly.
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The case also appears to have escaped federal pursuit tracking. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration told the San Francisco Chronicle that the police report it received did not indicate that a pursuit had occurred. When subsequently asked whether LRPD had reported the pursuit to state officials for inclusion in federal pursuit data, an LRPD spokesperson said he did not know.
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The case had personnel consequences. The Chronicle reported that a state commission later stripped one of the officers involved in the pursuit of police powers. LRPD also acknowledged its failure to disclose the fatal incident and stated that incidents of similar magnitude would be released in a timely manner in the future.
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Zayne's mother, Cindy Ortiz, said it took more than a year for police to acknowledge that her son had died in a chase. She said she was angry because police had lied to her. She later told the Chronicle that she wanted people to know what had happened to her son.
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The case subsequently became an example in a national investigation of fatal police pursuits that were absent from federal pursuit statistics, including deaths in which police agencies initially failed to disclose their involvement.

https://www.kark.com/news/working4you/lrpd-never-disclosed-2021-pursuit-deadly-crash/
https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2022/jul/15/lrpd-didnt-disclose-teen-death-in-2021-police-chase/
https://www.sfchronicle.com/projects/2024/police-chases-undercount/

On 03/25/2021 at approximately 3:45 p.m., Beaumont Police Department officers attempted to stop a Honda sedan in connection with an ongoing criminal investigation. Police did not publicly identify the underlying offense that prompted the stop. The male driver accelerated away from officers, and police pursued.
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The pursuit continued into the 2300 block of Liberty Avenue, where the Honda left the roadway and crashed into a business. The driver suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene by Jefferson County Justice of the Peace Benjamin Collins.
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A passenger in the Honda survived and was transported by Beaumont EMS to a local hospital. Contemporary reporting did not disclose the passenger's identity or condition.

https://www.12newsnow.com/article/news/local/driver-dies-after-crashing-into-business-fleeing-from-beaumont-police/502-68f27bf2-138e-4b74-a327-f2d8c62e7256
https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/One-dead-one-injured-in-Beaumont-car-crash-16054238.php

REASON FOR CHASE: Harris County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a family violence call at an apartment complex in the 5700 block of Greenhouse Road. Watkins ran from deputies after they arrived. This was a foot pursuit, not a vehicle pursuit.
NARRATIVE:
On 03/24/2021, Marlon Lanier Watkins Jr. was fatally struck by a civilian vehicle while running from Harris County Sheriff's Office deputies following their response to a family violence call in northwest Harris County.

At approximately 1:00 p.m., deputies responded to an apartment complex in the 5700 block of Greenhouse Road for a reported family violence incident. After deputies arrived, Watkins was seen running east through the apartment complex.

Watkins continued running from deputies and climbed over a large metal fence separating the apartment property from Greenhouse Road. He then entered the southbound traffic lanes of Greenhouse Road.

Watkins ran into the path of a southbound Lincoln Navigator and was struck. The Harris County Sheriff's Office reported that the civilian driver was not speeding and showed no signs of intoxication.

Emergency personnel transported Watkins to Memorial Hermann-Katy, where he was pronounced dead.

The death occurred while Watkins was fleeing law enforcement on foot and involved no police vehicle pursuit. The 03/24/2021 Harris County motor-vehicle fatality documented by FARS appears consistent with this independently documented pedestrian traffic death.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/crime/article/Family-violence-suspect-hit-killed-by-driver-16051228.php
https://www.fox26houston.com/news/hcso-suspect-struck-by-vehicle-after-fleeing-scene-in-nw-harris-county
https://www.nhtsa.gov/research-data/fatality-analysis-reporting-system-fars

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REASON FOR CHASE: Vehicle burglaries and suspected stolen vehicle
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NARRATIVE:
On 03/24/2021 at approximately 7:12 a.m., Culver City police responded to the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook in the 9500 block of Jefferson Boulevard after a witness reported a man looking into parked vehicles, breaking into two of them and taking property including a backpack. The witness also reported that the man apparently entered a silver Lexus, manipulated wires inside it and drove away in the vehicle.
.
Officers located the Lexus near Obama Boulevard and Hauser Boulevard and attempted a traffic stop. Parker continued away and police pursued. At La Brea Avenue and Obama Boulevard, the Lexus collided with an uninvolved vehicle. That driver suffered minor injuries. Parker continued driving while officers remained at the collision.
.
Culver City police subsequently terminated the pursuit because Parker's driving was creating a danger to the public. After officers stopped pursuing, Parker continued away in the Lexus.
.
Police later learned that the Lexus had left the roadway near Overhill Drive and Springdale Drive and struck a tree. Parker was trapped inside the wreckage. Los Angeles County firefighters and sheriff's deputies responded, and Parker was pronounced dead at the scene. No other person was injured in the final collision.
.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner subsequently identified the deceased driver as Arthur Parker Jr., 35. Westside Today reported Parker as a Black man. The California Highway Patrol and Los Angeles Police Department handled the traffic-collision investigations.
.
The officers who initiated and participated in the pursuit were not identified in the contemporaneous reporting. No pertinent wrongful-death lawsuit, family protest, or later disciplinary proceeding connected to Parker's death was located in the additional public reporting reviewed for this update.

https://www.culvercityobserver.com/story/2021/03/25/news/burglary-suspect-killed-in-car-crash-after-police-pursuit/9917.html
https://westsidetoday.com/2021/03/25/culver-city-burglary-suspected-involved-in-fatal-traffic-accident-following-pursuit/

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REASON FOR CHASE: Passenger killed during attempted traffic stop
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NARRATIVE:
On 03/24/2021, Savannah Chandler, 17, of Forest Park, Georgia, was a passenger in a vehicle driven by DeYeir Campbell of Douglasville, Georgia. Russell County sheriff’s deputies attempted a traffic stop on U.S. Highway 431, and Campbell continued away while deputies pursued north toward Phenix City. Contemporary reporting did not specify the traffic violation that prompted the attempted stop.
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At Highway 431 and Seale Road, Campbell lost control of the vehicle, crossed the median into the southbound lanes and struck a utility pole. Chandler suffered fatal injuries and died. Campbell survived with non-life-threatening injuries and was hospitalized.
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Authorities reported that Campbell had an outstanding Douglasville, Georgia warrant for assault. The warrant was disclosed after the crash; the contemporaneous reporting describes deputies as initially attempting a traffic stop rather than pursuing Campbell specifically because of the Georgia warrant.
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DISPOSITION:
Police announced that Campbell would be charged with murder in connection with Chandler’s death.
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Chandler's life before her death was later documented in an investigative journalism project concerning sex trafficking litigation. She had previously filed a federal civil lawsuit against Wyndham and a Days Inn alleging that she had been trafficked through the hotel when she was 15. Her grandmother raised her for much of her childhood and, following Chandler's death, sought donations for funeral expenses. The hotel litigation continued after her death and Wyndham settled with Chandler's family for an undisclosed amount in January 2022.

https://www.wtvm.com/2021/03/24/accident-broad-st-phenix-city-leads-heavy-police-presence/
https://www.wtvm.com/2021/03/26/woman-killed-car-chase-that-ended-crash-phenix-city-identified/
https://www.wtvm.com/2021/03/25/driver-crash-phenix-city-faces-murder-charge-following-passengers-death/

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REASON FOR CHASE: Bystander killed during 98-mph speeding pursuit
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NARRATIVE:
On 03/23/2021 at approximately 10:25 a.m., Raymond Hart, 80, of Lake Wales was driving a Chevrolet Silverado near U.S. Highway 27 and Chalet Suzanne Road when Lake Wales Police Officer Sean Robertson clocked a Chevrolet Equinox traveling north on U.S. 27 at 98 mph in a 60-mph zone south of Eagle Ridge Mall. Robertson activated his emergency lights and siren and attempted to stop the Equinox. The driver continued away at high speed.
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As Robertson followed, the Equinox approached the intersection of U.S. 27 and Chalet Suzanne Road, weaving through northbound traffic. Other motorists separated to yield to Robertson's police vehicle, and the Equinox crossed two northbound lanes into a right-turn lane before entering the intersection against a red light at high speed.
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Hart entered the intersection in his Silverado with a green light. The Equinox struck Hart's truck, killing him at the scene. The 30-year-old driver of the Equinox, Courtney Wright of Winter Haven, survived with non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a hospital.
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DISPOSITION:
The Polk County Sheriff's Office charged Wright with vehicular homicide and felony driving with a suspended driver's license. Lake Wales Police additionally charged him with fleeing a law-enforcement officer. The sheriff's investigation determined that Wright's license had previously been revoked as a habitual traffic offender.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
Sean Robertson was the Lake Wales police officer who initiated the attempted traffic stop after measuring the Equinox at 98 mph. The available reporting reviewed for this update does not document pertinent prior shootings, pursuits, discipline, lawsuits or criminal cases involving Robertson.

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2021/03/24/habitual-traffic-offender-charged-in-polk-county-crash-that-killed-80-year-old-man/
https://www.polksheriff.org/news-investigations/polk-county-news/2021/03/24/pcso-deputies-charge-habitual-traffic-offender-with-vehicular-homicide
https://patch.com/florida/lakeland/1-killed-1-arrested-u-s-27-crash-lake-wales-sheriff

On 03/21/2021, while officers of the Baltimore Police Department pursued a stolen vehicle, Darius Gore was struck by the fleeing vehicle and severely injured. He was placed into a coma and died less than a month later. Gore’s mother, Rowena Simmons, filed a federal lawsuit against the city and the officers, alleging negligence in the pursuit that led to the crash.

https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/lawsuit-filed-on-behalf-of-baltimore-man-who-died-after-he-was-struck-during-a-police-chase-last-spring/
https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/maryland/mddce/1%3A2021cv00969/492814/77/

A Bexar County deputy observed a gray Ford Focus being driven recklessly after 1 a.m. The teenage driver allegedly hit several curbs and refused to stop. Police escalated a chase. The vehicle continued to drive through traffic lights and in the wrong direction. Eventually, the car crashed into a semi-mule and a Toyota Camry. The driver of the semi-mule was not injured, but Cynthia Demp, the driver of the Camry, was killed in the crash.
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https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2021/03/21/1-dead-after-bcso-pursuit-ends-in-crash-deputies-say/ 

On March 21, 2021, around 6 p.m., a trooper with the Ohio State Highway Patrol spotted a speeding 2018 Porsche Macan on Interstate 275. The officer activated lights and sirens, initiating a pursuit. The chase lasted about a minute and a half before the driver, 14-year-old Alexander Lara, lost control of the vehicle.
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Lara ran off the right side of the road and struck an embankment. Troopers reported that Lara was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle. He was killed in the crash.

https://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/clermont-county/14-year-old-dies-days-after-crash-on-i-275-in-clermont-county-sunday
https://local12.com/news/local/osp-video-shows-14-year-old-crashing-stolen-porsche
https://www.wlwt.com/article/14-year-old-dies-after-crashing-stolen-porsche-along-i-275-officials-say/35898941

On 03/20/2021, Fresno County deputies pursued a driver at high speed through city streets. The fleeing vehicle ran a red light at McKinley Avenue and Cedar Avenue, colliding with multiple vehicles and erupting in flames. Twenty-year-old Navneet Kaur, a passenger in one of the struck vehicles, was killed instantly in the fiery crash.

https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article282712823.html
https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article250181910.html
https://abc30.com/post/fatal-crash-driver-sentenced-deaths-2021-crash-fresno/14146129/

On 03/20/2021, Fresno County deputies escalated a pursuit through residential areas. The fleeing vehicle sped through the red light at McKinley Avenue and Cedar Avenue and struck other cars, causing an inferno. Twenty-eight-year-old Simranjit Kaur, traveling with her cousin, was killed at the scene as flames engulfed the wreckage.

https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article282712823.html
https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article250181910.html
https://abc30.com/post/fatal-crash-driver-sentenced-deaths-2021-crash-fresno/14146129/

On 03/20/2021, Juan Montes Dominguez was killed along with Simranjit Kaur and Navneet Kaur when a Chevrolet Camaro fleeing a Fresno County Sheriff's Office deputy caused a fiery multi-vehicle collision at Cedar Avenue and McKinley Avenue in Fresno.
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At approximately 11:05 p.m., a Fresno County sheriff's deputy observed the black Chevrolet Camaro driven by Francisco Antonio Portillo traveling at high speed after exiting Highway 41. The deputy observed the Camaro fishtail onto McKinley Avenue and activated the patrol vehicle's emergency lights and siren to conduct a traffic stop for reckless driving.
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Portillo accelerated eastbound on McKinley Avenue rather than stopping. During the pursuit, the Camaro reached approximately 100 mph.
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The deputy discontinued the pursuit near First Street and McKinley Avenue after Portillo drove through a red traffic signal at high speed. The Camaro continued east after the deputy backed away.
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Approximately two blocks later, Portillo entered the intersection of Cedar Avenue and McKinley Avenue and caused a multi-vehicle collision involving at least seven vehicles. The deputy witnessed the crash after discontinuing the pursuit.
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Several vehicles caught fire following the collision. Deputies arriving at the crash found three vehicles fully engulfed in flames. Juan Montes Dominguez, Simranjit Kaur and Navneet Kaur sustained fatal injuries, while five other people suffered substantial injuries.
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The Fresno Police Department investigated the collision and determined that Portillo had been driving under the influence of alcohol and marijuana. His blood-alcohol concentration was measured at .09%, and he tested positive for THC.
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DISPOSITION:
Francisco Antonio Portillo pleaded no contest on 10/05/2023 to charges arising from the crash. On 12/05/2023, Fresno County Superior Court Judge Charles Lee sentenced Portillo to 19 years and four months in state prison for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated causing three deaths and injuries to five other people.

https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article282712823.html
https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article250181910.html
https://abc30.com/post/fatal-crash-driver-sentenced-deaths-2021-crash-fresno/14146129/

In the early morning of March 20, 2021, Georgia State Patrol pursued a stolen silver Ford Fusion driven by Zachary Lumpkin in Whitfield County. The vehicle was traveling over 120 mph on I-75. A trooper performed a PIT maneuver near mile marker 338, causing the car to veer into the median, flip, and crash into a tree. Lumpkin and passenger Shadow Ridge Stanley were both killed. The use of the PIT maneuver drew scrutiny following the fatal outcome.

TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 2 fatalities

https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2021/mar/20/police-pursuit-tactic-under-scrutiny-after-more-deaths
https://newschannel9.com/news/local/whitfield-county-car-crash-on-thursday-leaves-two-dead-questions-still-left-unanswered
https://foxchattanooga.com/news/local/gdot-part-of-i75-closed-after-crash-in-whitfield-county