What began as an attempted traffic stop on a North Columbus street turned into a deadly multi-vehicle crash Saturday afternoon, leaving one person dead and several others in the hospital, authorities said.
Columbus police said the incident started around 3:41 p.m. near Cleveland Avenue and Maynard Avenue, when officers tried to pull over a vehicle believed to be connected to a prior felony. Instead of stopping, the driver sped off, and the fleeing vehicle later collided with another car at East 19th Avenue and Hamilton Avenue.
Police Say Attempted Stop Ended in Chaos
The Columbus Division of Police said officers initiated the stop based on the suspected felony link, but the driver took off at high speed. According to WSYX, the resulting crash sent multiple people from both vehicles to local hospitals and left Hamilton Avenue partially shut down while investigators worked the scene.
Crash Scene Under Investigation
Police sources told WSYX that officers did not pursue the fleeing vehicle before the collision. The Columbus Division of Police Accident Investigation Unit responded to the intersection to document evidence and piece together how the crash unfolded.
Why Crashes Like This Keep Raising Alarms
High-speed flight from traffic stops regularly ends with innocent people caught in the wreckage, from bystanders to passengers to first responders. A national investigation by the San Francisco Chronicle found that hundreds of pursuit-related deaths never made it into federal databases, suggesting the official numbers understate just how deadly these incidents can be.
What Police Are Saying So Far
Authorities have not released the names of the person killed or those hospitalized, and their exact conditions remain unknown. Police have also not said whether anyone has been arrested or charged in connection with the crash. Investigators are asking anyone with information about what happened to contact the Columbus Division of Police as they continue to work the scene and review the evidence.
