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Sally Bay Schultz

Age : 85

Gender : Female

Race : White

Date : 12/03/2021

Location : Solon Road and Erico Drive

City : Solon

County : Cuyahoga

State : Ohio

Agency : Solon Police Department; Bentleyville Police Department

Officer(s) :Not disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Bystander killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

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REASON WHY PURSUIT WAS INITIATED:
A Solon Police officer identified a blue 2012 Ford Fusion as a vehicle reported stolen at gunpoint in Cleveland the previous day. The officer attempted a traffic stop near Solon Road and Erico Drive.
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EVENT NARRATIVE:
On 12/03/2021, at approximately 2:40 p.m., a Solon Police officer spotted the reported stolen Ford Fusion traveling east on Solon Road near Erico Drive. After confirming the vehicle's status through dispatch, the officer attempted to stop it. The driver continued driving away, and police escalated a pursuit east along Solon Road into Bentleyville and Chagrin Falls.
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Police alleged they discontinued the pursuit after the Solon officer lost sight of the Ford. A short time later, another law-enforcement agency located the same vehicle and pursued it westbound back toward Solon. The official crash report identifies the Ford as actively fleeing Bentleyville Police immediately before the fatal collision. Solon officers repositioned along Solon Road after learning that the pursuit was returning toward the city.
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A Solon officer traveling east on Solon Road reported seeing the Ford approaching at approximately 80 mph in a 35-mph zone and swerving into the officer's lane. Another Solon officer positioned near Solon Road and Erico Drive deployed Stop Sticks across the roadway. Police said the driver attempted to avoid the tire-deflation device, lost control and crossed into the eastbound lanes.
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The Ford struck a Chevrolet Silverado carrying 85-year-old Sally Bay Schultz and her 89-year-old husband. The impact spun the Chevrolet approximately 300 degrees before it struck a Ford Econoline van. Schultz suffered critical injuries and was transported to a hospital, where she died later that day. Her husband and the 37-year-old driver of the van were also hospitalized. The two men in the pursued Ford suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
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Solon Police subsequently released five body-camera and dash-camera recordings. The released footage did not show the actual collision and did not include body-camera footage from the officer who deployed the Stop Sticks. Police Chief Richard Tonelli said he believed the officers had acted appropriately and followed department protocol.
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Sally Schultz, born Sally Wagner, had been married to Norman James Schultz for 65 years. She was the mother of five children, grandmother of 12 and great-grandmother of six. Her family requested memorial contributions to the United Methodist Church of Chagrin Falls, the Bainbridge Township Historical Society or another charity.
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TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES:
1 Fatality, 4 Injuries.
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DISPOSITION:
The fleeing driver, Jaymarlon Hayes, was indicted for involuntary manslaughter, aggravated vehicular homicide, two counts of aggravated vehicular assault, carrying a concealed weapon and failure to comply. He later pleaded guilty to multiple charges arising from this and other cases. His convictions were upheld on appeal, although the Ohio Court of Appeals subsequently ordered modifications to portions of the consecutive sentences.
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Solon Police Chief Richard Tonelli publicly defended the officers' role in initiating and participating in the pursuit and deployment of Stop Sticks, stating that he believed they acted appropriately and followed protocol. No criminal charges against the Solon or Bentleyville officers for their roles in the pursuits or the deployment of Stop Sticks that immediately preceded the fatal collision were identified.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
Solon and Bentleyville authorities did not publicly identify the officer who initiated the first pursuit, the officer(s) involved in the subsequent pursuit, or the Solon officer who deployed the Stop Sticks.
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LITIGATION:
None found.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/crime/solon-police-pursuit-vehicle-ends-crash-death-female-passenger/95-072e3c22-41fc-4c54-8734-ff2816cb91d7
https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/solon-police-release-video-of-pursuit-that-turned-deadly
https://fox8.com/news/police-pursuit-of-stolen-car-in-solon-ends-in-crash-85-year-old-woman-critically-injured/
https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/oh-cuyahoga/charges-filed-in-fatal-solon-police-pursuit-that-left-an-85-year-old-woman-dead
https://patch.com/ohio/solon/85-year-old-woman-killed-car-crash-solon-police
https://www.cleveland19.com/2021/12/08/solon-police-release-footage-chase-that-killed-innocent-bystander-chief-believes-officers-acted-appropriately/
https://www.cleveland19.com/2021/12/09/19-year-old-driver-facing-charges-deadly-chase-with-solon-police-stolen-car-police-say/
https://www.cleveland19.com/2022/07/05/19-year-old-driver-convicted-causing-deadly-chase-with-solon-police-stolen-car/
https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/rod/docs/pdf/8/2024/2024-Ohio-845.pdf
https://obits.cleveland.com/us/obituaries/cleveland/name/sally-schultz-obituary?id=31842036
https://laurenkarch.github.io/mapping-police-pursuits/Documents/2021065921_Redacted.pdf