New video: Moments before deadly wrong-way crash on I-90
CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio (WJW) – More video has been released, giving us added insight into a deadly wrong-way crash on Interstate 90 during a police pursuit.
FOX 8 was able to obtain the new video from the Ohio Department of Transportation through a public records request.
The incident began in Cleveland Heights last Wednesday, when a gunman carjacked an Amazon driver who was using a rented van for deliveries.
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The view was from an ODOT camera located at I-90 and Fulton Road on Cleveland’s west side.
At the top of the screen, you can see police lights pursuing the stolen van. It appears officers were on both sides of the highway, including following in the wrong direction.
Around 7:54 p.m., the van, without headlights on, approached a vehicle that was driven by Dr. Curtis Birchall of Akron. Dr. Birchall also ran an anti-aging practice in Rocky River.
It appears that Dr. Birchall saw the van heading toward him, slammed on the brakes and tried to turn right.
Out of respect, we are not showing the collision.
Then, the suspect, 23-year old Jalen Jackson, of Cleveland, got out of the van and hopped across the highway.
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Bodycam released last week showed that, when officers arrested him on the other side of the highway guardrail, Jackson told them he had a broken leg.
The ODOT video shows, after a minute or so, officers rushed to Dr. Birchall’s car, but it was too late. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Jackson is being held on $1 million bond, charged with several crimes including aggravated murder and aggravated robbery.
Last week, Cleveland Heights police chief Chris Britton told reporters the officers involved would be on leave until they are cleared physically and mentally to return to duty.
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