The number of police chases in the state went up in 2012 as compared to the year before, according to the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Research and Development. The majority of police chases in Pennsylvania involve a person fleeing from a routine traffic stop, according to state police. The FBI says that nationwide, one person is killed nearly every day related to a high speed police chase. That is why officials seek to call off chases when they may endanger innocent people.
The idea of a police chase may seem familiar to anyone who has watched TV dramas. Statistics related to a police chase are generally available, and may provide some perspective to the issue of high speed law enforcement incidents. But, a broader category of high speed events may not be as easy to calculate.
We all expect law enforcement and emergency responders to respond quickly when we call for help. The same may be true of officers when they call for backup. It was an officer responding to a call for backup related to a police chase that apparently is being investigated related to a fiery fatal accident January 12 in Williamsport.
An officer responding to the pursuit was traveling 88 miles per hour East Third Street in Williamsport on January 12. It was shortly after 6:45 in the evening of that winter day when the officer changed lanes to pass three cars. The lead car, however, attempted to make a left hand turn.
The police Interceptor slammed into the turning vehicle. The passenger car went into a spin and struck a utility pole before eventually crashing into a building –the car erupted into flames. The 42-year-old driver of the civilian vehicle was killed in the fiery car accident.
Police continue to investigate the high speed crash.