MIAMI COUNTY — The drivers of two vehicles are dead and two passengers, including a child, were injured after a high-speed pursuit through Troy and Miami County ended in a crash in Bethel Twp., according to Troy police and the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
>>PHOTOS: 2 killed 2 injured after Miami Co. pursuit ends in crash
Jalen Alexander, 19, of Troy, and Chelsey Vollmer, 32, of Dayton were identified by Troy police as the victims killed in the crash.
The pursuit was initiated by Troy police around 8 a.m. after a Jeep refused to stop on Stonyridge Avenue in the area of East Staunton Road, Troy Police Chief Shawn McKinney said in a news release.
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McKinney said officers were in the area looking for a person with multiple outstanding warrants for their arrest, including one for felonious assault and child abuse/endangering out of Miami County and a separate warrant from Greene County. Police started the pursuit after spotting and attempting to pull over a vehicle the officer suspected was being driven by Alexander, McKinney said.
New cruiser camera footage, obtained through a public records request, shows a Miami County deputy attempt to deflate the tires of the vehicle involved in the pursuit on state Route 202.
The pursuit continued onto state Route 202 where speeds reached over 100 mph, initial reports indicate. Moments later, police reported the Jeep was involved in a crash with another vehicle on state Route 202 and U.S. 40 in Bethel Twp. just before 8:10 a.m.
The driver of the Jeep, Alexander, and the driver of a silver vehicle, Vollmer, were killed in the crash, police and state troopers said. A child, identified as a girl around 2-years-old, was a passenger in Vollmer’s vehicle and was injured in the crash. She was transported to Dayton Children’s Hospital with injuries that are believed to be non-life threatening, according to state troopers.
A passenger in the Jeep, only identified as a woman, was also injured. She was taken to an area hospital also with injuries believed to be non-life threatening, state troopers said.
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A utility pole and wires were knocked down in the crash and state troopers expect the intersection to be blocked into Tuesday afternoon.
The crash remains under investigation by the Piqua Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Circumstances surrounding the pursuit are under investigation by Troy police.
We’ll continue to update this story as we learn more.