MONROE COUNTY, Mich. – Two people were killed Thursday when a police chase ended with a violent crash in Monroe County.
Police told Local 4 that the crash started as a traffic stop when the man behind the wheel was a suspect in a domestic violence complaint.
Michigan State Police said the man ran from officers, ultimately crashing at the intersection of Whitford and Whiteford Center roads when he slammed into another vehicle, instantly killing himself and the other vehicle’s driver.
Neighbors said initially, they had no idea how bad it was.
“Once I came outside, I saw it was two cars, and the police was just trying to put out the fire,” said neighbor Ashley Jankowski.
Neighbors said they heard the sirens before they heard the impact, which they described as a pop. They thought someone had gone off the road and hit a tree.
“It’s a terrible corner,” Jankowski said. “Accidents happen, from what I’ve been told. We’ve only been here two years, but yeah, not fatal like this.”
The suspect and the innocent bystander were killed on impact. The intersection has been shut down for hours.
Neighbors told Local 4 that they believe the man who caused the accident was going incredibly fast, more than 80 miles per hour.
There’s also a question as to if alcohol was involved in the crash.
Another question is if state troopers activated an immediate chase, and if they did, how long did the pursuit go on before the accident?
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