Mariah Woods
Name: Mariah Woods
Age: 18
Gender: Female
Race: African-American/Black
Date: 01/07/2011
Location: Freret Street and Milan Street
New Orleans, Louisiana, 70115
County: Orleans
Agency: New Orleans Police Department
Cause of Death: Vehicle
Intended Use of Force: Vehic/Purs
Media summary: A high-speed chase ended when a motorist being chased by police crashed into a car, killing Mariah Woods and injuring two others. According to police, 22-year-old Edward Augustine made an illegal turn at Carrollton and Claiborne, and when officer Justin Ferris tried to stop him, Augustine reportedly kept going. Augustine turned onto Milan, a one way street, in the wrong direction and reportedly accelerated before crashing into the other car. Woods, a passenger, died of traumatic injuries sustained in the crash. Her two friends suffered serious head injuries, and one had a broken leg. Ferris initially said that Ferris followed department policy—he reportedly called for backup and was authorized by a supervisor to pursue Augustine. He was later fired. An internal investigation into the chase determined that Ferris disregarded stop and "Do Not Enter" signs, and also traveled against traffic while reaching speeds of up to 70 mph.
Unique ID: 9776
News article: Link
View Larger Map
