The chase lasted seven-and-a-half minutes and reached speeds up to 120 miles per hour before ending in a crash at state route 202 and U.S. 40.
“It’s not a lot of time but it felt like forever,” Troy Police Chief Shawn McKinney said.
Police felt the warrants out for Alexander and belief that he had a handgun posed a threat to the community. Alexander had a gun during a previous incident in Piqua, however, no gun or contraband was found in his vehicle following the crash Monday.
McKinney said the officer involved acted in accordance of the department’s police at the time.
A Jeep driven by Alexander hit a Volkswagen driven by Chelsey R. Vollmer, 32. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.
Vollmer’s toddler and Tipton were transported to area hospitals. The toddler is expected to be released today, police said.
McKinney expressed his condolences for the families.
The incident started around 8 a.m. after Troy police in the area of Stonyridge Avenue and Imperial Court were looking Alexander, who was wanted for felonious assault and child abuse/endangering.
An officer spotted a vehicle believed to belong to Alexander and attempted to stop it. Instead, Alexander fled, resulting in a police chase. In police radio traffic obtained by the Dayton Daily News, the officer involved in the chase can be heard saying he was backing off multiple times.
At one point a man says if the officer gets into Huber Heights traffic to terminate the chase.
A Miami County sheriff deputy laid stop sticks at state Route 202 and Ross Road.
Though Alexander tried to go around the spikes, his front right tire was punctured.
McKinney explained the spikes are not designed to blowout a tire and cause a vehicle to crash. Instead, they are made to slowly release air from the tire, causing the vehicle to lose speed.
Police do not believe there was enough time between when Alexander’s Jeep hit the spikes and the crash to have deflated the tire.
This was the fourth pursuit for Troy police this year. In 2020, the department had 12 chases, six of which were terminated.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. It’s not clear when more information will be released.
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