Innocent Pedestrian Killed In Police Chase
Teens Ran Red Light, Crashed After Allegedly Not Paying For Gas
POSTED: 11:38 PM EST November 10, 2004
UPDATED: 8:59 AM EST November 12, 2004
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP -- For the second time in four days, an innocent person was killed when a high-speed police chase ended in a crash Wednesday night.
A Hamilton County Sheriff's Deputy was pursuing three teens for allegedly not paying for gas when they ran a red light and collided with another car. Both cars went off the road and the teens' car struck and killed a pedestrian, the sheriff's office said.
Vernon Fears Jr. 1111
The accident occurred at the intersection of Springdale Road and Hamilton Avenue.
The teen driver, Vernon Fears Jr., 18, and a passenger ran from the scene and were arrested later at Sixth and Vine streets, downtown. The other passenger was arrested at the scene.
The passengers are juveniles, 16 and 15.
Fears, of Westwood, is charged with aggravated vehicular homicide.
The victim was identified as Rebecca Maynard, 52, of the 1500 block of Hilsun Place in Covedale.
The police chase reached speeds of 90 mph and lasted 90 seconds, the sheriff's office said.
It was the third time in six weeks that an innocent person was killed during a local police chase.
police chaseWhat do you think should be the police's first priority in a high-speed chase?Catching the suspectPublic safety
Last Sunday, Maple Trapp, 68, of Springfield Township died when a suspect fleeing Evendale police crashed into the back of her companion's car on Reading Road. The chase started when police answered a 911 call that the suspect was beating a woman in a store parking lot and appeared to be drunk.
On Sept. 30, Kathy Ballard, 48, of Kennedy Heights was killed when a purse-snatching suspect being chased by Cincinnati and Norwood police crashed into her car at a Norwood intersection.
In those previous chases, police chiefs emphasized that the suspects were violent and said their officers acted properly and followed policy.
Sheriff's spokesman Steve Barnett says Sheriff Simon Leis may make a statement Friday if the investigation is complete by then.
Wednesday night's incident began about 6:25 p.m. when the suspects left the Ameristop at Pippin and Strubel Roads in Colerain Township, the sheriff's office said.
An employee followed their 1999 Dodge Spirit and alerted police as they drove west on Strubel, north on Colerain Avenue, east on I-275 and south on Hamilton Avenue.
That's when the sheriff's deputy spotted them and gave chase.
The teens proceeded east on Seven Hills Drive, running several stop signs, then south on Sprucehill Drive, west on Roosevelt Avenue and south on Hamilton to the Springdale intersection, the sheriff's office said.
That's when a westbound 1999 Acura driven by Sue Overton, 55, of Forest Park, hit the teen's car.
Overton was not hurt. Her passenger, Albert Highlander, 56, of Forest Park, was taken to Mercy Fairfield Hospital. He was treated and released.
"Unfortunately, someone died, Highlander said. "We were lucky."
"I respect police for what they do," Overton said. "Sometimes it's hard for them to justify ... a good time to chase or not to chase, but sometimes someone should think a little harder."
The pedestrian was taken to Franciscan Mount Airy Hospital and pronounced dead at 7:54 p.m.
Fears was also charged with failure to comply with signal of a police officer and theft. Police said he was due in court Friday in another case for allegedly driving without a license.
One of the juveniles was charged with theft and the other was charged with obstructing official business.
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