Concerns were raised about the West Palm Beach police officers who pursued the suspect, which led to the crash.
A car crash in Florida took the lives of a pregnant woman and her mother. The suspect was fleeing from police when his vehicle caused the collision.
Immediately after the crash, Copeland fled the scene on foot. However, police quickly caught up with him and promptly arrested the 23-year-old. The two women were pronounced dead after being taken to the hospital. Woods’ unborn child also did not survive.
The victims’ loved ones now mourn their untimely deaths. They noted how eager both were to see Woods’ embark on motherhood.
“Two and a half lives were taken away from me: my daughter, my wife, my future grandchild,” explained Junel Pochette, Woods’ father and Pochette’s husband, to the news outlet. “We were looking forward to a new grandbaby.”
Additional concerns were raised regarding the West Palm Beach police officers who pursued Copeland. Questions remain on if they followed the correct pursuit procedure, as the chase ultimately led to the crash.
Copeland initially fled a traffic stop, which does not require a pursuit. Despite this, three units proceeded to chase the man for two and a half miles. West Palm Beach Police Chief, Frank Adderly, confirmed the launch of an internal investigation on the incident. They also placed several officers on administrative leave.
“While there are any questions and few answers at this time, we need to let the facts lead us to the outcome of the investigation,” stated Chief Adderly. “We are cooperating with the Boynton Beach Police Department and are committed to full transparency.”
Moreover, Boynton Beach officials are reviewing GPS trackers to see whether the West Palm Beach officers made it to the crash scene and did not administer help, instead returning to their domain. Their investigation, alongside one conducted by the Palm County State Attorney’s Office, is underway.
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Source: Black Enterprise
