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Tanner Smith

Age : 36

Gender : Male

Race : White

Date : 08/23/2024

Location : State Route 57 at Griswold Road

City : Elyria

County : Lorain

State : Ohio

Agency : Elyria Police Department

Officer(s) :Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : 2 passengers killed in police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 08/22/2024, Tanner Smith, 36, was killed while riding as a passenger in a Nissan Altima that Elyria police pursued through Elyria. An Elyria officer reported seeing what the officer believed was a hand-to-hand drug transaction on Erie Street at approximately 3:15 p.m. and attempted to stop the Nissan. Dash-camera video later released by police showed the Nissan continuing away as police pursued it toward State Route 57.
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Police reported that the Nissan accelerated north on State Route 57, passed traffic using the shoulder and continued through a red traffic signal at Midway Boulevard. Dispatch recordings captured an officer estimating the Nissan's speed at approximately 60 mph while the pursuit continued.
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Seconds later, at approximately 3:22 p.m., the Nissan continued through another red light at State Route 57 and Griswold Road and collided with a Toyota Corolla that was turning onto Griswold Road. Smith and fellow passenger Meghan Incorvaia, 36, were killed at the scene. The Nissan's driver suffered life-threatening injuries and was flown to MetroHealth Medical Center. The 48-year-old driver of the Corolla suffered serious injuries.
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Smith's mother, Brenda Smith, publicly questioned the Elyria Police Department's decision to continue the pursuit as speeds increased and the Nissan moved around other traffic. She said her son had struggled with addiction and questioned why police continued a pursuit that endangered people over an alleged drug transaction.
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The Nissan's driver later pleaded guilty in Lorain County Common Pleas Court to multiple charges arising from the pursuit and fatal crash. In July 2025, a judge sentenced him to 24 to 28 years in prison.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND
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The involved Elyria police officers have not been publicly identified.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/2-dead-2-injured-in-elyria-crash-thursday-afternoon
https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/family-of-man-killed-questions-elyria-police-pursuit
https://www.cleveland19.com/2024/08/23/man-woman-killed-elyria-2-car-crash/
https://www.cleveland19.com/2025/07/15/driver-sentenced-killing-2-people-elyria-crash/
https://chroniclet.com/news/436847/lorain-man-who-killed-2-in-2024-chase-and-crash-gets-24-to-28-years-in-prison-video/