Phoenix homicide suspect arrested following car chase, collision in Wickenburg
A traffic stop turned into a pursuit of a Phoenix homicide suspect, who authorities have since arrested.
According to a statement posted on Facebook by Wickenburg police, at about 4 a.m. on Friday, officers "located a vehicle involved in a separate incident and attempted to conduct a traffic stop."
Police said they later learned the suspect of a Phoenix homicide investigation was inside the vehicle. When Wickenburg police pulled the car over, the driver, later identified as 17-year-old Sir Amir Williamson, did not stop, driving east into the city of Surprise.
Williamson had been on the run since April 18, when he was identified as the suspect in connection to the murder of his cousin, 18-year-old Elijah Johnson, at a Budget Lodge Motel after the two were engaged in an argument.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety and Surprise police were alerted and took over as the primary agencies in the pursuit of Williamson.
Wickenburg police also continued in pursuit. It's unclear what happened then, but the car later ended up involved in a crash near Sun City before fleeing again.
A woman and an unknown number of juvenile passengers were inside the vehicle at the time of the crash and detained at the scene. Their identities or pending charges were not released.
A search for Williamson started after the Sun City crash, but Phoenix police later announced that Williamson has been taken into custody.
Phoenix police spokesperson Sgt. Robert Scherer said the specifics surrounding Williamson's arrest are part of the ongoing investigation. Scherer later said that Williamson turned himself in early Friday morning and was booked into the Juvenile Correction Center for murder. Police also arrested his mother, 45-year-old Tanyelle Williams, for hindering prosecution by hiding her son from police.
This is an ongoing story. Check back for updates.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix homicide suspect arrested following Wickenburg car chase
