Deadly Delco crash raises questions on the Pa. State Police chase policy

It’s been more than a week since three adults and a pregnant teenager died after a high-speed police chase ended in a crash in Delaware County.

On Wednesday, April 24, around 1:30 p.m., a red Taurus crashed into a concrete bridge embankment on Rt. 322 in Upper Chichester, Pennsylvania. Four of the seven people in the vehicle – Isaiah Miller, 20, Ikeam Rogers, 20, Kalyn Billups, 21, and Tyjana Motley, 17, -- died in the crash. Motley’s unborn child was also pronounced dead at the hospital.

“Our hearts and sympathy go out to those who lost their lives and their families, and everyone who was a part of that,” Pennsylvania State Police Lieutenant Adam Reed said.

As the investigation into the crash continues, several questions remain, including whether or not state troopers should have been pursuing the vehicle in the first place. While state law requires Pennsylvania State Police to keep their full pursuit policy private, Lt. Reed – who serves as the Pa. State Police communications director – revealed some of the basic facets of the policy.

He told NBC10 that last week’s ordeal began when state troopers were monitoring the Brinton Lake Shopping Center in Concord Township due to recent retail theft. They then spotted the red Taurus.

“They saw a vehicle in which the occupants were acting suspiciously,” Lt. Reed said.

State Police said the Taurus had a tinted front windshield, expired inspection stickers and a paper tag obscured by a tinted license plate cover.

“The reason for the stop was going to be the said equipment violations,” Lt. Reed said. “And the operator chose not to stop and the pursuit ensued.”

Lt. Reed said it’s state police policy to pursue a car if the driver doesn’t stop.

“Our pursuit policy does allow for our members to pursue a vehicle if the driver chooses not to yield during an attempted traffic stop,” he said.

“And it doesn’t matter what the violation may be?” NBC10 investigative reporter Claudia Vargas asked.

“It doesn’t matter what the violation is,” Reed replied.

Reed said troopers have to weigh their duty to apprehend a violator against the risk to public safety.

“I’m not going to offer any second guesses or weigh in on the decision at the time because again, every decision is different and things happen very quickly,” he said.

Pennsylvania State Police are investigating the incident internally.

Last week’s pursuit is part of a rising increase in police chases in Pennsylvania and involving state police, in particular. The number of pursuits by state police assigned to Philadelphia and its surrounding counties rose from 127 in 2019 to 373 in 2023, according to state police data.

During that time, state police pursuits have led to 200 injuries in our area as well as five deaths in 2022 and 2023.

State Police track all police pursuits in the state and is constantly updating the data on their pursuit reporting website.

Reed said he wasn’t able to answer why there’s been an increase in state police pursuits.

“You would have to ask the individuals that are choosing to flee from us,” he said.

“Well, I’m asking from the police perspective,” Claudia Vargas replied. “You guys are actively choosing to pursue some of these vehicles.”

“Well the people are choosing to run from us, you know, and we are doing our duty to attempt to apprehend them,” Reed said.

The rise in police pursuits isn’t just a local trend. Geoff Alpert – a University of South Carolina criminology and criminal justice professor who has studied police pursuits for several decades – says chases have been on the rise nationally in recent years.

“Post-COVID, we’ve seen some movement where departments are relaxing that standard,” Alpert said. “And now we’re seeing because of that relaxation, I think we’re seeing the pursuits like you’re discussing.”

Alpert said last week’s chase in Upper Chichester and others like it are inappropriate.

“They’re extremely risky with no real reason to pursue the person,” he said.

Alpert was part of a working group with the Police Executive Research Forum that issued a 160-page guide for law enforcement agencies to manage risks associated with pursuits. The 2023 report had one main recommendation.

“Pursuits should take place only when two very specific standards are met,” the report states. “(1) A violent crime has been committed and (2) the suspect poses an imminent threat to commit another violent crime.”

“Just because I don’t chase you, it doesn’t mean I can’t try to find where you were, try to find who you are,” Alpert said. “And in many cases, be able to apprehend you later.”

Reed, meanwhile, told NBC10 the Pa. State Police pursuit policy has not changed and that people need to stop when a trooper asks them to stop. Otherwise, state police are authorized to pursue.