The victim, whose identity had not been confirmed Monday night, is believed to be a 31-year-old Chautauqua County, N.Y., resident, state police spokesman Sgt. Mark Zaleski said. He was killed when the Nissan Sentra he was driving at a high rate of speed went out of control and hit a tree in the 6400 block of Firman Road. The man was thrown from the car and landed on a parked car, Zaleski said.
An autopsy on the man will be performed today, Erie County Coroner Lyell Cook said Monday night.
The incident that led to the crash happened at about 2:30 p.m. Monday, when state police were notified of a retail theft that had occurred at the Harborcreek Walmart, 5741 Buffalo Road, Zaleski said. The man had reportedly stolen DVDs and fled from store security, he said.
An off-duty state police trooper who had witnessed the confrontation between the man and store security approached the man as the man walked toward the nearby Harborcreek Township Building. The off-duty trooper told the man that he had to go back and talk to store officials, but the man didn't respond and instead went to his car, which was parked in the Walmart lot, and drove off toward Depot Road at a high rate of speed, Zaleski said.
State police troopers who responded to the shoplifting call began pursuing the man as he turned onto Firman Road from Depot Road. The troopers started backing off the pursuit because they were uncomfortable with the speed they were traveling. Within seconds, the man lost control of his car and crashed into the tree, Zaleski said.
source: goerie.com