COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — A 17-year-old is in custody following a fatal crash that claimed two lives on Saturday afternoon.
According to Columbus police, the teen was fleeing from officers during an attempted traffic stop when the collision occurred at the intersection of Hamilton and 19th Avenues. The victims, identified as 71-year-old Franklin Ward and 52-year-old Tessa Berry, were in a Saturn traveling northbound.
Authorities reported that the teen, heading westbound on 19th Avenue, failed to yield at a stop sign and struck the Saturn. Berry died at the scene, while Ward was transported to Grant Medical Center, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Police initially attempted to pull over the Prius, suspecting it was connected to a prior crime near Cleveland and Maynard Avenues. Officers stated the driver accelerated rapidly, preventing them from engaging in pursuit.
Three individuals from the Prius, including the driver, were taken into custody. The intersection remained closed for several hours as the Franklin County Coroner's Office and the Ohio State Highway Patrol conducted their investigation.