Detroit Police Chief: Officers Had No Justification For Chasing Car That Fatally Struck Another Vehicle
DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - Detroit Police Chief James Craig says it appears there was no justification for officers to have been chasing a car that struck another vehicle, killing its driver on the city's west side.
"We have found some breaches in department policy and right now, there's no indication that the reason for the pursuit was justified," said Craig.
Craig told reporters Friday that his office will be looking into possible violations of departmental policy. Three police cars were involved in Thursday's chase.
"We have made a preliminary determination -- and I emphasize preliminary because the investigation is ongoing -- that this pursuit was initiated out of our department policy," he said. "One of the things we look at in an officer when they make a decision to initiate a pursuit, they have to believe that there's probable cause to believe that a felony has been or is about to be committed. That was not the case in this instance."
Police have said the chase started with an attempted traffic stop near the Southfield Freeway. It initially was called off because of the fleeing vehicle's speed. Another officer later saw the same Dodge Charger and renewed the chase before the Charger slammed into a Lincoln on Greenfield Road just south of Plymouth Road. The Lincoln's 31-year-old driver was killed.
"What we learned is that the suspect failed to stop for a stop sign. There was a reluctance of the suspect to stop. He ultimately did stop and as the officer made an approach, there was some sort of movement by the driver in the vehicle. And then at that point, the driver, suspect, took off at a high rate of speed," said Craig. "According to our policy in and of itself, that doesn't warrant a justification to initiate a pursuit."
The Charger's 27-year-old driver and a 16-year-old female passenger were hurt in the crash. Craig said the Charger's driver, who was wearing a tether, was wanted on a weapons violation warrant.
The crash remains under investigation. Names of those involved have not yet been released.
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