Names released of 3 adults and pregnant teen killed crash on Route 322 in Boothwyn
BOOTHWYN, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- Pennsylvania state police have released the names of the people who were killed in a crash following a pursuit on Route 322 in Boothwyn, Delaware County.
There were a total of seven people inside the car, all residents of Philadelphia. Four of the occupants, including two adult men, an adult woman, and a pregnant 17-year-old girl, died.
They are identified as:
-Isaiah Miller, 20, Male, Philadelphia (driver)
-Ikeam Rogers, 20, Male, Philadelphia (front seat)
-Kalyn Billups, 21, Female, Philadelphia (back seat)
-Tyjana Motley, 17, Female, Philadelphia (back seat)
Police say an emergency c-section was performed on Motley, but her unborn child was also pronounced dead.
The crash survivors, including a 16-year-old girl, an 18-year-old woman and a 20-year-old man, were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Pennsylvania state police say this all began shortly after 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Shoppes at Brinton Lake in Concord Township, Delaware County, where troopers were stationed in the area due to recent retail thefts.
That was when a trooper became suspicious of a red Ford Taurus, that remained at a stop sign for a 'significant period of time' and was then parked away from the stores.
Three to four people exited the car and approached the businesses, police say, including one person believed to be involved in a previous theft at the shopping center.
As the trooper approached in an unmarked vehicle, the people returned to the Ford and the driver headed out of the parking lot onto Brinton Lake Road.
The trooper pulled the car over at the intersection of Brinton Lake Road and Mill Road in Thornbury Township, as a marked patrol vehicle also arrived. But, after stopping for a few moments, the driver of the Ford sped off.
That led to a chase that covered seven miles and took approximately five minutes, reaching speeds up to 100 mph.
Eventually the driver, who police say was speeding on Route 322, tried to pass a car on the right shoulder but lost control.
The vehicle went across all lanes of traffic and hit a concrete bridge embankment where Route 322 crosses over Chichester Road.
The vehicle caught fire, and police say troopers worked to remove the occupants from the vehicle while extinguishing the fire.
The three adults who were killed were pronounced dead on the scene. Motley and her unborn child were pronounced dead at the hospital.
Nathan Juliano, who works at the United Tire of Concordville near the scene, recalled the devastating wreck.
"There was nothing left of that car. The whole roof was off. It was bad. Nothing left," he said.
Witnesses also saw police pursuing the vehicle.
"We just saw all the cars start speeding past - at the top of the hill you can see them speeding past - and then the cops behind them. That's all we saw," said Sam Rezzek of Boothwyn. "A couple of seconds you heard the noise, like a big bang. We were outside and we heard the big bang."
"I saw the car come flying down with the cops like bumper to bumper with him, trying to stop him," said Kaden Fennelly, who also works at United Tire of Concordville.
One witness claims to have seen police getting ready to throw out spike strips, which are used to flatten vehicle tires during a pursuit.
However, it appears the crash happened before the car got that far.
"The cop was down there getting ready to throw spike strips out down past Wawa. And then I saw the fireball, and then the cop turned around and came back flying up this way," said a witness who did not want to be identified.
Route 322 was closed for hours as investigators processed the scene.
State police say the incident remains under investigation.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Trooper Tray at PSP Philadelphia by calling 215-452-5216.
