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A crash between a Colombian police officer and a Toyota sedan in northern Colombia killed a motorist.
Here’s what we know:
The driver of the murdered 2023 Toyota sedan and identified by Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford as 34-year-old Ashley Brown.
Brown was between 27 and 28 weeks pregnant and the fetus also died, Rutherford said. The cause of death was blunt force injuries, he said. The death is still under investigation.
The police officer involved in the crash, Darian Davis, suffered “serious” leg injuries and underwent surgery Tuesday, said Columbia Police Chief Skip Holbrook, who is recovering Tuesday afternoon.
Davis responding to a request for assistance in an ongoing police manhunt for a suspect wanted in the shooting death of a man in J. T. ‘s Kia. at 180 Greystone Blvd. , Holbrook said. Davis had been chasing him “for less than a minute” when the crash happened, the leader said.
The fatal crash happened shortly after 3 p. m. at the intersection of U. S. 21/North Main Street and Prescott Road,
The crash also affected the vehicle, police said.
Details of the three-vehicle crash, such as how it occurred and the speed of the vehicle, are unknown.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating, Holbrook said. The unit specializes in reconstructing complex collisions. Under state law, the Highway Patrol investigates motor vehicle injuries involving other drivers. State law requires the MAIT team to report whether the officer operated their vehicle in a friendly manner and in accordance with proper rules and laws.
The Highway Patrol will release data about the crash at a later date. The Columbia Police Department will conduct a separate administrative review if any of the department’s rules were violated. The effects of the review will be public.
The police officer whose car crashed into the Toyota in response to a fatal shooting around 3:04 p. m. at the Kia dealership at J. T. at 180 Greystone Blvd.
Authorities knew the shooting victim as 39-year-old Graham Pope. The gunman shot Pope “repeatedly” while Pope was sitting in a car, Holbrook said. Pope was taken to the hospital where he later died.
The motive for the shooting is known “at this time,” Holbrook said.
Agents arrived at the car dealership around 3:08 p. m. , where a witness gave them detailed details about the type of vehicle — a gray Ford Mustang — the alleged shooter was driving.
At 3:10 p. m. , a Columbia police officer spotted the vehicle on River Drive and activated the lights and siren. The suspect did not stop. Information about the address of the fleeing vehicle transmitted to the agents of the domain.
Around this time, Officer Davis was clearing up an incident in the 6100 block of North Main Street. It left its location and began heading toward River Drive and “less than a minute later” collided with the Toyota, Holbrook said. The crash site is about three-tenths of a mile from its starting point, Holbrook said.
Then there was a secondary collision involving a 2010 Honda pickup truck, Holbrook said. The driver of the van was transported to the hospital, where he was treated and released.
Other Columbia police officers pursued the suspected shooter. At 3:18 p. m. , his car crashed into the backyard of a home in the 2200 block of Shady Lane, according to police. It’s about nine miles from the car dealership.
The suspect, 28-year-old Westley Gross, was captured after jumping out of his vehicle and running into a nearby woods, Holbrook said. Gross was charged with murder, failure to stop a blue light and siren, and possession of a weapon, a violent crime, police said.
Gross had two guns with him, he said Holbrook. Su name has not been provided.
At the time of his arrest, Gross was given $10,000 bail for disorderly conduct of a serious and nuisance nature. The matter is under investigation through the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.
The total length of the chase since the shooting of J. T. to the spot of Gross’s twist of fate was 8 minutes and thirteen seconds.
Teresa Wilson, city manager for Holbrook, Rutherford and Columbia, spoke at a press convention at the city’s police headquarters Tuesday afternoon.
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