Assault suspect dies after crashing into tree while trying to flee from Columbus police

A man's attempt to flee from Columbus police ended in a fatal vehicle crash Wednesday evening in South Linden.

Columbus police were sent out at around 6:21 p.m. to the area of East 23rd and Gladstone avenues to arrest a man wanted for felonious assault in a stabbing incident, police spokesperson Sgt. Joe Albert said. Officers arrived and found the suspect driving a silver Chevrolet Impala, he said.

Officers tried to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect fled and a police pursuit ensued, according to Albert.

The suspect drove into a dead end, then reversed and rammed the Impala into a police cruiser, Albert said.

The suspect fled again and police continued to give chase. A short time later, Albert said the suspect somehow lost control of the car and crashed at high speed into a tree at East 22nd and Medina avenues.

The man sustained "critical injuries," Albert said. He was transported to Ohio State University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 7:06 p.m. His identity had not been released by police as of early Thursday afternoon.

The officers who were in the police cruiser involved in the chase and rammed by the suspect were not injured, Albert said.

Columbus police asked the Ohio State Highway Patrol to investigate the fatal crash. No other information was immediately available Wednesday night.

smeighan@dispatch.com

@ShahidMeighan

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Assault suspect dies after crashing into tree while trying to flee from Columbus police