Columbia man dies following crash, failed traffic stop in northeast Columbia Saturday
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A 32-year-old man from Columbia died in a crash in northeast Columbia Saturday morning, according to Capt. Brian Leer with the Boone County Sheriff's Office.
According to Leer, around 12:30 a.m. Saturday, a deputy tried to stop a vehicle for a registration violation on Clark Lane and Ballenger Lane. The vehicle did not stop and the deputy lost sight of the vehicle, Leer said.
According to a social media post from the sheriff's office, the driver of the vehicle drove away northbound on Ballenger Lane and eastbound on Highway PP. The post states the deputy turned on their emergency lights and siren briefly to try and catch up to the vehicle.
Boone County Joint Communications received a call regarding a vehicle that had traveled through a fence near Highway PP and East Palmer Road, the post states.
According to the post, information indicates that the driver turned off the lights to its vehicle until law enforcement went by before heading back toward Columbia.
Shortly after, a deputy on Mexico Gravel Road saw a vehicle that matched the description of the vehicle traveling westbound on Mexico Gravel Road.
The deputy allegedly tried to pull over the vehicle when it sped onto north Hinkson Creek road, where it crashed into a wooded area.
The deputy allegedly saw someone get out of the driver's side of the vehicle and run away.
The passenger of the vehicle, a 32-year-old man from Columbia was thrown from the vehicle during the crash. He was pronounced dead on scene shortly after 1 a.m.
Drones and K-9s were used to find the driver. They were not in custody as of Saturday afternoon.
Leer said there is no known threat to the public.
An ABC 17 News reporter at the scene saw over a dozen vehicles with the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Boone County Sheriff's Office and Columbia Police Department. An MU Health Care vehicle and a Boone County Fire Protection District vehicle were also seen at the scene.
A spokesperson for the Columbia Police Department told ABC 17 News over email that the department responded to a crash in the area at 12:26 a.m. No further details were given.
Officers were seen searching the area of Mexico Gravel Rd. near Hinkson Creek. A drone and K-9 were seen being used.
Officers were still at the scene as of 2:20 a.m.
