Two Dead After Car Chase In Shaker Heights

SHAKER HEIGHTS, OH — Two people were killed when a car chase turned deadly early on Tuesday morning. Police were pursuing a stolen 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt when the car hit a tree and the driver and a passenger were thrown from the vehicle. Both were later pronounced dead at the scene.

At about 2:20 a.m., Shaker Heights police saw a car speeding down Warrensville Center Road, near Norwood Road. The officer that spotted the vehicle investigated and found the car had been reported stolen during a robbery on Cleveland's west side.

The officer threw on his lights and his siren and tried to stop the speeding car. As the two vehicles approached the intersection of Warrensville Center and Harvard Road, the reportedly stolen car sped up before turning west onto Harvard and heading into Cleveland.

Police pursued the car and the driver tried to turn quickly onto E. 151st St. But the driver lost control on the slight left curve, went over the south curb and hit a tree. The impact broke the Cobalt into pieces and threw the driver and passenger out of the car, killing them.

The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner was called to the scene and the Cleveland Accident Investigation Unit is looking into the incident.

The Cobalt was stolen Monday night from a Western Reserve Catering employee that was delivering meals to residents on Medicaid on W. 105th. The driver had just parked his car when, he said, someone ripped his door open, grabbed him by the arm and pulled him out of the Cobalt. Someone then got into the driver's seat, and someone else got into the passenger's seat. The suspects threw the man's cell phone at him and then drove off in his car. There were 12 meals left to be delivered and they were still in the trunk of the car.

Patch will update this story as more information becomes available.

Photo from Renee Schiavone, Patch