One person died after a police pursuit that ended with a rollover crash in the southeast part of Wichita; it happened at Osie & Washington (south of Harry) around 8:30 Thursday morning.
Police officers were investigating larcenies near Hydraulic and Wassall, and began chasing a suspect's car that was possibly involved.
“An officer spotted that vehicle in that area and witnessed it commit a traffic violation at Washington and Wassall,” said Officer Trevor Macy, Wichita Police Department. “The officer followed the vehicle and attempted to initiate a traffic stop at Pawnee and Washington. The suspect immediately accelerated away from the officer going left of the centerline northbound on Washington.”
Police said the officer initiated a pursuit but quickly called it off. The car continued speeding north on Washington.
“Just north of Funston, the suspect vehicle attempted to pass another vehicle on the right. They sideswiped that other vehicle which caused the suspect vehicle to lose control and overturn, where it came to rest in the 1700 block of S. Washington,” Macy said.
Macy said the driver ran from the overturned vehicle but collapsed behind a truck; the man was transported by EMS to the hospital, where he died.
The Wichita Police Department was on the scene, along with the Kansas Highway Patrol, which is investigating for “accountability” and “transparency.”
Body-camera video of the pursuit is expected to be released.