A Kanawha County Deputy Sheriff saw the dangerous driving and attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle. The driver of the Camaro refused to stop. The Deputy Sheriff pursued the vehicle along Big Tyler Road. At one point the Deputy reported the speed of the pursuit was 85 miles per hour. He made the decision to stop pursuing the vehicle while in the 4800 block of Big Tyler Road.
He continued to travel along Big Tyler Road and came to the scene of a crash near Klondike Road in the 4900 block. The Chevrolet Camaro had struck a Honda Accord in a head-on collision. The Honda Accord landed over an embankment on its side. The Chevrolet Camaro remained on the roadway, badly damaged, and caught fire.
The Deputy on scene ran to the Camaro and helped two passengers out. They were unable to remove the driver. The Deputy returned to his car and reactivated his vehicle’s emergency lights to alert other motorists to the hazard. Nearby residents brought out a water hose in an attempt to put down the fire on the Camaro.
The Tyler Mountain Volunteer Fire Department responded to assist with rescue and fire control efforts. Ambulances from the Kanawha County Emergency Ambulance Authority responded, as well. They transported the two passengers from the Camaro and the driver of the Honda Accord to Charleston Area Medical Center for treatment. There were no other passengers in either vehicle.
The driver of the Camaro was pronounced dead at the scene. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner dispatched an investigator to the scene. An autopsy may be performed.
The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office dispatched a team of crash reconstruction experts to the scene to gather evidence and collect data. Big Tyler Road will be shut down for several hours during the investigation.
Cpl. B. D. Humphreys
Cpl. B. D. Humphreys