“I immediately went over to that vehicle, and as I went around, I saw a woman that did not look alive and I heard a baby cry, and I stopped and I listened again and heard the baby cry again,” she said.
She said she waved the police over the vehicle that was not part of the pursuit because of the baby, and first responders got the baby out of the car. Cain asked if she could stay with the baby, and she was allowed to.
“I had my husband get a blanket,’ Cain said. “She was alert, she was fussing. She had a little bump on her head and just a couple of scratches … When she would go close her eyes, I would just stroke her cheek and hold her hand and was talking to her, telling her that she was a good girl and that she was all right.”
Cain said other neighbors also comforted the child while on scene and made sure someone was with the baby until paramedics were able to take the child to Dayton Children’s Hospital.
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Authorities said the crash was the end result of a police chase for a suspect wanted for felonious assault and child abuse/endangering. The fleeing driver was identified as Jalen T. Alexander, 19, of Troy by the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Piqua Post, which is investigating the crash.
Troy police said around 8 a.m., in the area of Stonyridge Avenue and Imperial Court, officers were looking for the suspect, who also had a warrant in Greene County for a court order violation. That is when an officer saw a vehicle, a red 2011 Jeep Cherokee, believed to belong to the suspect.
“The officer was aware that the suspect was in possession of a 9mm Glock pistol when stopped by Troy officers on March 7,” read a release from Troy police.
The officer attempted to stop the Jeep, but the suspect fled, eventually going south on state Route 202.
The Miami County Sheriff’s Office attempted to stop the car using tire deflation devices at the intersection of state Route 202 and Ross Road. However, the suspect continued on until the Jeep crashed into another car, a silver 2019 Volkswagen, at U.S. 40.
Troopers identified the driver of the other car as 32-year-old Chelsey R. Vollmer, who also was pronounced dead at the scene.
Miami County Coroner Dr. Bill Ginn said Vollmer, of Dayton, was the mother of the child who survived the wreck.
Jason Gregory was waiting with his daughter for her school bus and said he saw a car he thought was going 100 mph before the crash.
“As soon as I said ‘Wow, that car is flying’ Boom. I looked up and I could see the light was red where it was coming through,” Gregory said.
Cain said she thought the young girl was saved by her car seat.
“She was still firmly inside her car seat. The straps were right there with her,” Cain said.
The crash remains under investigation.
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