ROCHESTER, NY — A driver who led New York State Police on a chase through Rochester died Friday in a fiery crash in the Maplewood neighborhood. Troopers said the pursuit began after they tried to stop the vehicle for a traffic violation at Hudson Avenue and Avenue D.
Police said the driver did not stop. The car later traveled south on Lake Avenue before becoming partially disabled, then fully disabled after troopers deployed spike strips.
What happened when the chase reached Lake Avenue?
According to Trooper Lynnea Crane, the car was moving south on Lake Avenue shortly before 10:15 a.m. when the vehicle lost some function. After spike strips stopped it completely, the car sideswiped an SUV and then hit an oncoming Jeep head-on.
The crash scene quickly turned deadly when the car caught fire. Troopers were unable to extinguish the flames or reach the trapped driver before he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Who was hurt in the crash?
Police said the three people inside the Jeep were taken to Strong Memorial Hospital with minor injuries. The only person in the SUV that was sideswiped was not injured.
No other serious injuries were reported in the immediate aftermath of the collision.
What did police say about the chase decision?
Crane said troopers continuously reassess pursuits and weigh public safety, traffic levels and speed throughout the incident. She said how fast the suspect vehicle was traveling remained unclear, but that speed is a major factor in those decisions.
Police also said they had not yet determined whether the car was stolen. Crane said the vehicle had switched plates and investigators were checking the VIN number.
What else did investigators later confirm?
On Monday, police identified the man killed in the crash as Tyson Thomas, 38, of Rochester. On Tuesday, investigators said the vehicle involved in the pursuit was not stolen, but it did have an improper plate.
The case remains centered on how the stop attempt escalated into a pursuit, the spike-strip takedown and the deadly collision that followed.
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