Police chase ends tragically in Detroit

Michigan State Police investigate a crash on Ashton
Photo by Frank Nemecek

What appears to have been a chase involving the Michigan State Police in the Warrendale neighborhood of Detroit has ended badly this evening. A white Chrysler 300 sedan hit two parked vehicles and crashed into a tree on Ashton, just north of Paul, at approximately 6:30 this evening.

Police officers on the scene declined to comment due to their on-going investigation. However, neighbors in the area reported that two individuals in a car being chased died in this crash.

Michigan State Police have Ashton, between Whitlock and Paul Streets, closed for their investigation. State troopers have canvassed the block asking residents about they might have seen and if they have any camera footage that might show details of the chase.

More news as this story develops.

Police cars block off Paul St at the Southfield Fwy.
Photo by Frank Nemecek

Update @ 9:14 p.m.
According to neighbors, it would appear that the Michigan State Police broke off their pursuit as soon as it headed into a residential neighborhood. The individuals that they were chasing, however, continued to flee and subsequently hit two other vehicles before slamming into a tree.

More news as this story develops.

Update @ 10:21 p.m.
This pursuit reportedly started on the Southfield Freeway when Michigan state troopers noticed that the driver was not wearing a seat belt and had tinted windows. They attempted to pull the driver over to issue a citation.

Unfortunately, the driver attempted to flee rather than pull over.

More news at this story develops.

Update @ 10:32 p.m.
The Detroit Fire Department is currently at the scene. They are cutting the mangled sedan open so the remains of the driver and passenger can be removed from this vehicle.

Update @ 10:39 p.m.
According to a neighbor who lives near the crash site, the impact was severe enough that the engine block of that car dislodged from the vehicle. It then continued traveling for a few more feet before landing on the ground.

Any additional updates will have to wait until tomorrow morning.

Update - Saturday, April 1 @ 10:59 a.m.

The crash site as of this morning - Photo by Frank Nemecek

The wreckage from this crash is largely cleared at this point. The yellow police tape has been removed. Ashton is once again one to vehicular traffic and residents are going about their daily routines.

The tree that the fleeing vehicle slammed into, however, still stands with obvious damage to its trunk - a reminder of the spot where two foolish individuals lost their life.

Debris is still littered along the road and sidewalks. I found pieces of the destroyed Chrysler 300 sedan as far as 60 feet from the crash site.

I suspect that residents who live near this spot will continue to find small pieces of that car for days or weeks to come.

Debris from the crash - Photo by Frank Nemecek

All of this will be a lingering reminder of why it's a terrible idea to flee from the police, especially over something as minor as a traffic ticket. The driver probably had some other reason for wanting to run - a warrant for his arrest, a suspended license, or some other reason that probably made sense to him at that moment.

The tragic reality, though, is that none of those things are worth losing one's life over nor are they worth jeoparding the lives of others for.

This, I'm afraid, is a lesson that the ill-fated driver learned too late.