Woman Dies in Chicago Car Crash After Driver of Minivan Trying to Flee From Police Rams into Her Vehicle

A 42-year-old woman was killed on Tuesday after her vehicle was struck by a minivan driven by a drug suspect trying to get away from police. Valerie Davis leaves behind her family, including a teenage son.

The fatal Chicago car accident happened after 7am when police pulled over the van during a drug enforcement stop. The cops say the suspects in the vehicle tried to strike the Chicago police officers before hitting the police cars, running a red light, striking the vehicle that Davis was in, and hitting another vehicle.

The two suspects then fled the scene on foot before they were arrested.

Police say they were not chasing the van when the auto crash that claimed Davis’s life happened.

High-speed police chases, with one car fleeing and the other vehicle attempting to keep up can be very dangerous for the participants and others. People have been known to get hurt during Chicago police pursuits. Cops are required to exercise caution during chases so that the suspects and innocent bystanders are not accidentally struck during a motor vehicle chase or shot during any exchange of fire.

On Monday, a high-speed police pursuit resulted in two Chicago auto collisions. One traffic collision involved the vehicle carrying four suspects. The other motor vehicle crash involved an auto trying to get out of the way during the Chicago police chase. The accident occurred around 1:45 am.

A number of people were hospitalized. One victim reportedly said he couldn’t feel anything in his legs. Another person, who was ejected from the auto, broke his pelvis and sustained massive head injuries.

Woman killed after van tries to hit police, strikes four cars, Chicago Sun-Times, November 3, 2009

1 dead, 2 arrested after chase, crash, ABC Local, November 3, 2009

Car crashes trying to avoid police chase on South Side, Chicago Breaking News, November 2, 2009