Police used Taser on Ohio stabbing suspect before series of crashes that killed two children
A high-speed chase involving a stolen police cruiser in Ohio led to a series of crashes ending with the death of two children. Police said a man reportedly stabbed a woman, then led police on the wild chase.
Police said the man crashed his truck after driving away from the site of the stabbing, but then he jumped into a police cruiser responding to the scene, and the deadly drive continued. Cellphone video showed a Riverside police officer attempting to arrest the suspect, who has not been identified.
He managed to climb into the driver's seat of the police cruiser. The officer used his Taser on the man, who was trying to get away.
"The officer tased him at point-blank range," said John Poston, who shot the cellphone video. "The guy still ended up getting in the driver's seat, driving it backwards up the street, turning a corner with it. From there, he drove into the other police officer."
The suspect barreled through the busy streets of downtown Dayton. "It was very loud, it was like a crash and bam -- there was car parts flying all over the street," one witness said.
The driver left behind a path of mangled cars before crashing into a pole outside the Dayton Metro Library.
"All of a sudden, I turn my head, look around, boom! Just like that," one witness said.
The suspect crashed into at least three vehicles, one of which was a van carrying seven children.
"I heard someone scream, 'Kids are in the car!' and jumped out to do my best and try to get as many of the kids out of the van as I could," said Denorris Hopgood. Hopgood said the van seats pinned some of the children inside. "It was difficult to see what was inside the van, and see the kids in the condition that they were in," he said.
At least 12 people were taken to hospitals, some in critical condition. The suspect was also hurt in the chase and is being treated for his injuries.
"I really didn't know what to do but to hold my kids and give them the biggest hug afterwards," Hopgood said. "Because just seeing something like that, it just shows you that anything can happen in a split second."