DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Police identified the suspect in the deadly crash following a police chase that hit and killed a woman walking along the road. A teen was also injured.
The driver, identified as Joseph Odeh, 18, was driving at a high rate of speed and leading officers on a pursuit, police said.
While traveling on Covington Highway near Miller Road, the vehicle lost control, crossed into oncoming lanes, and left the roadway, hitting the woman and teen.
Antionette Catchings, 56, was pronounced dead at the scene. The second victim, a 14-year-old boy, sustained serious injuries.
The DeKalb County School District told Channel 2’s Tyisha Fernandes the teen attends nearby Miller Grove Middle School and the woman who died was his grandmother.
Odeh and a juvenile suspect were both taken into custody after attempting to run away.
Channel 2’s Steve Gehlbach was following up on the story when he found a gun on Channel 2 Action News This Morning starting at 4:30 a.m. He called police to return to the scene to collect it.
Police say the suspects in a stolen vehicle led officers on a chase. The crash happened after 3:30 p.m. Thursday.
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DeKalb County Police Department said officers were patrolling in the area of Covington Highway and Panola Road looking for a stolen vehicle. That intersection is near Miller Grove Middle School.
Police said officers found the vehicle and tried to pull it over. Instead, the suspects sped away.
The driver lost control of the vehicle and hit a woman and teen who were crossing the street. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene, and the teen is in critical condition.
The driver went to the hospital with serious injuries, and the passenger sustained minor injuries in the crash, DeKalb PD said.
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