SOUTHFIELD (WWJ) – One of two passengers in a stolen Kia that fled from Southfield police and crashed on Tuesday, killing the 19-year-old driver , believed she was getting into an Uber, police revealed.
The Southfield Police Department said both passengers — identified as 17-year-old girls — sustained non-life threatening injuries in the crash that occurred around 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 13th.
In a press conference on Thursday, police identified the deceased driver as Jarrell Dewand Newman II of Taylor, 19, adding they were still working to piece together what led up to the fatal incident.
According to authorities, officers were notified by a license plate reader on Tuesday evening that a Kia reported stolen out of Detroit earlier in the month had crossed over into the city.
Police on patrol then attempted to stop the Kia on Westhampton and Evergreen Road, but the driver took off and immediately struck a chain-link fence on Evergreen between Westhampton and Westover.
In Thursday’s update, Southfield Police Chief Elvin Barren said the Kia was found to have also struck a concrete barrier behind the fence in front of a DTE Energy substation.