Child, 2 Adults Killed In Crash Following Police Chase
NORTH VERSAILLES (KDKA/AP) -- Two adults and a child were killed when the car they were in burst into flames and was demolished after it was T-boned by a speeding car in North Versailles on Thursday afternoon.
That speeding car -- being pursued by police -- had major front end damage. The 22-year-old driver, Demetrius Coleman from Pittsburgh, and a female passenger were only slightly hurt.
Coleman was driving without a license.
Ron Riley, who lives nearby, reacted to the accident angrily, telling KDKA-TV's Ralph Iannotti, "He killed three innocent people, hang his ass as far as I'm concerned."
The police pursuit began in a GetGo parking lot about two miles away.
An East McKeesport police officer pulled over the sedan after he saw it make an illegal turn. The officer learned that Coleman had a drug-related probation violation. He called for back-up. Coleman then sped off, traveling east on Route 30. Then, the crash 6 minutes later, at the intersection of Route 48.
One witness estimated the speeding sedan had to be traveling at least twice the 40-mile-an-hour speed limit.
The car was being chased by one police car from East McKeesport and two from North Versailles.
"Three innocent people dead over a stupid car chase. The [police] know, you have his license plate, registration, who you are," Riley said.
Ed Novak told KDKA that about the time of the crash, he was driving from White Oak to his brother's house in Monroeville for Thanksgiving dinner.
"I was on Route 30, as I was making the turn at the red light up here, I could see the police flashing light in my rear view mirror," he said. "I was that close to being involved in that, a split second decision."
A Mercedes SUV was also involved in the crash. Three women inside the vehicle were hurt, one suffered a head injury.
"I feel bad for all the people involved," Novak said. "It's a shame because the relatives will remember Thanksgiving all the time."
Demetrius Coleman is under guard at UPMC Mercy Hospital. He faces three counts each of criminal homicide, vehicular homicide and aggravated assault, as well as aggravated assault by vehicle, fleeing police, reckless endangerment and driving with a suspended or revoked license, among other charges.
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