COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — A man and woman died following a police pursuit that ended in a crash at Greenlawn Cemetery on August 30.
Authorities identified the deceased as Christopher Reed and Kelly Wise, both 47. Police said Reed stole items from Dick's Sporting Goods on Stringtown Road around 6:45 p.m. before being spotted in a small silver hatchback at Walmart.
During an attempted stop by a K9 officer, Reed struck the cruiser, causing minor damage but no injuries to the K9 inside. Reed fled the scene, leading to a sergeant authorizing a pursuit due to his dangerous driving on the wrong side of White Road, which included near-collisions with other vehicles.
An officer pursuing Reed witnessed him exiting onto Greenlawn Avenue, where he subsequently crashed. Emergency responders arrived, and the pursuing officer provided aid until medical personnel arrived.
Grove City police reported that no officers or other motorists were injured. A small bag of what is believed to be crack cocaine was found in the vehicle. The final pursuit report is currently under review.
Grove City Lieutenant Jason Stern expressed relief that there were no additional injuries. He noted an increase in individuals fleeing from police in recent years, emphasizing the heightened danger involved in such pursuits for both law enforcement and the community.
Video footage of the incident is under review and may be released soon.