The Franklin County Coroner has identified 30-year-old Corey Tinnes as the driver killed in a collision with a Columbus police cruiser on December 7, according to The Columbus Dispatch. Tinnes was pronounced dead after the crash at Grant Medical Center at around 3:20 a.m. The incident occurred when a Chevrolet Silverado and a police cruiser responding to an emergency call crashed around 2:50 a.m. near the intersection of West Broad Street and Central Avenue, as reported by Columbus police.
The officer involved in the crash was also injured, but is currently recovering in the hospital. The severity of the officer's injuries has not been disclosed, nor have the details surrounding the circumstances which led to the incident been made clear, nor whether any contributing factors been present. NBC4i has noted that while the identity of the driver was initially not disclosed, it has now been confirmed by the coroner's office.
Furthermore, the Columbus Police Department is clear on its policy that requires officers to drive with "due regard," even in an emergency situation, as stated by The Dispatch, this principle calls for caution even when responding to urgent calls that demand immediate action; this guideline underscores the responsibility of officers while navigating public spaces at high speeds, according to a statement in ABC6 "Someone's supposed to yield to an emergency vehicle, but our policies, our procedures is we're to drive with due regard," said Steel, an apparent representative of the police.
The State Highway Patrol is undertaking an investigation to determine the full range of factors contributing to the crash, and no further information has been disclosed at this time, and it is important to note, as the investigation proceeds findings will shed light on the dynamics of this tragic encounter, firm conclusions are pending as the community grieves the loss of Tinnes while hoping for the full recovery of the injured officer, both families connected by that one irreversible moment on Broad Street and Central Avenue wait for answers.
