Melvin Woodyard
Name: Melvin Woodyard
Age: 45
Gender: Male
Race: Race unspecified
Date: 10/07/2002
Location: Mt. Elliott S.t & E. Vernor Hwy.
Detroit, Michigan, 48207
County: Wayne
Agency: Detroit Police Department
Cause of Death: Vehicle
Intended Use of Force: Vehic/Purs
Media summary: A chase began at around 10:50 p.m. when officers Scott Barrick and Jason Criner saw a Chrysler sedan that had been reported stolen at Wilshire and Coplin. They radioed to other officers to join the pursuit. At 11:03 p.m., Sgt. Rodney Cox ordered the officers by radio to end the chase. One car stopped. The remaining five cars, each occupied by two officers, continued chasing the Chrysler for 17.3 miles. Officers Richard Neinhuis and Courtney Anderson's car crashed into an unrelated Ford Crown Victoria, killing passenger Melvin Woodyard. The allegedly stolen Chrysler was not found. The 10 officers (Neinhuis, Anderson, Barrick, Criner, Jason Tonti, Glenn Anderson, Timothy Barr, D'Clarence Reynolds, Aaron Kraszewski and Alexis Sukey, all assigned to the tactical services unit) were suspended without pay. Wayne County prosecutors decided not to issue criminal charges against any of the officers.
Unique ID: 20963
News article: Link
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