COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — A 17-year-old is in custody following a crash that killed two people Saturday afternoon at the intersection of Hamilton and 19th Avenues.
According to Columbus police, the teenager was fleeing from officers attempting a traffic stop when he collided with another vehicle. The victims, 71-year-old Franklin Ward and 52-year-old Tessa Berry, both of Columbus, were in a Saturn that was struck in the incident.
Witnesses reported the teenager was traveling westbound on 19th Avenue when he failed to yield at a stop sign and impacted the northbound Saturn. Berry was pronounced dead at the scene, while Ward was transported to Grant Medical Center, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Authorities stated that the initial traffic stop attempt was made near Cleveland and Maynard Avenues due to suspicions of the Prius being involved in a previous crime. Police indicated the driver accelerated away quickly, preventing officers from initiating a pursuit.
Three occupants of the Prius, including the driver, were taken into custody. The intersection was closed for several hours as the Franklin County Coroner's Office and the Ohio State Highway Patrol conducted their investigation.