Police confirmed on Thursday that neither person killed in the East Cleveland crash that followed a brief police chase were wearing a seatbelt.
The news comes as East Cleveland police released body camera video of Saturday's incident. The video shows that the chase lasted nearly 40 seconds.
"Discontinue pursuit," said the dispatch supervisor to the officer in pursuit in the video. "Copy," said the officer.
Seconds later, the crash happened when the fleeing suspect rammed another car head-on on Noble Road.
East Cleveland Mayor Gary Norton confirmed that the fatal wreck started when a traffic stop was initiated near the intersection of Hayden and Woodworth Avenue.
The suspect, identified as 23-year-old James Smith, Jr., fled the traffic stop in his vehicle, and officers pursued after the vehicle officials said.
The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office identified 56-year-old Hollis Daryl Crump as the victim in the car that was struck.
Crump was pronounced dead on scene.
Smith Jr. was taken to University Hospital where he died of his injuries Sunday.
Smith was driving with a suspended license and had a warrant out of Shaker Heights for driving without a license and contempt of court. He owed the city's court $344.00.
The video shows the pursuing officer explaining what happened to a colleague at the scene of the crash.
"I canceled as I hit 152nd [street]," said the officer. "You shut off?" asked the other. "I had no lights, I was off," he said. "You slowed down?" questioned the other officer. "I slowed down."
The video does not appear that the officer slowed down significantly after the chase was called off.
