COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — A teenager was taken into custody following a fatal crash that killed two individuals on Saturday afternoon.
According to Columbus Police, the 17-year-old driver was fleeing from an attempted traffic stop when the vehicle collided with another car at the intersection of Hamilton and 19th Avenues.
The deceased were identified as 71-year-old Franklin Ward and 52-year-old Tessa Berry, both residents of Columbus.
Authorities reported that the teenage driver was traveling westbound on 19th Avenue and failed to yield at a stop sign, striking a northbound Saturn carrying Ward and Berry.
Berry was pronounced dead at the scene, while Ward was transported to Grant Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Columbus Police stated that officers had initially attempted to stop the suspect's vehicle near Cleveland and Maynard avenues due to suspicions of involvement in a prior crime, but the driver accelerated away, preventing a pursuit.
Three occupants of the fleeing vehicle, including the 17-year-old, were apprehended.
The intersection remained closed for several hours as the Franklin County Coroner's Office and the Ohio State Highway Patrol conducted their investigation.