TROY — Troy’s police chief said the reckless and criminal actions by a fleeing felon led to the death of two people in a high-speed pursuit that ended in a crash Tuesday.
Jalen Alexander, 19, of Troy, and Chelsey Vollmer, 32, of Dayton were identified by Troy police as the people killed in the crash.
Alexander was wanted for felonious assault and child abuse/endangering out of Miami County and a separate warrant from Greene County.
>>PHOTOS: 2 killed 2 injured after Miami Co. pursuit ends in crash
Chief Shawn McKinney said the situation is a tragedy and he and the Troy police department grieve with the families who are impacted.
McKinney said he believes the officer who chased Alexander did so in compliance with the department’s pursuit policy, given what the department knows so far.
“Due to the warrants we felt and still feel today that the suspect still posed a serious risk,” the Chief said.
The pursuit was initiated by Troy police around 8 a.m. Tuesday after a Jeep refused to stop on Stonyridge Avenue in the area of East Staunton Road, McKinney said.
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Police started the pursuit after spotting and attempting to pull over a vehicle the officer suspected was being driven by Alexander, McKinney said.
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, Ezra Smith, was a passenger in Vollmer’s vehicle and was injured in the crash. She was transported to Dayton Children’s Hospital and was released from the hospital on Thursday.
The passenger in the Jeep driven by Alexander was identified as Tashaia Tipton. Tipton was described as Alexander’s girlfriend.
Police interviewed Tipton at the hospital and she said Alexander saw Vollmer’s vehicle in the intersection of U.S. 40 and state Route 202 and made no attempt to brake.
“She brought up the fact that he did nothing,” said Capt. Jeff Kunkleman.
Kunkleman said Tipton was “visibly upset about it.”
“She broke down in tears multiple times,” the Captain said.
Tipton told police Alexander’s mindset was “if I’m going, you’re going with me,” Kunkleman said.
Tipton was taken to an area hospital also with injuries believed to be non-life threatening, state troopers said.
Cox Media Group
