TPD identifies woman killed in crash after two police pursuits

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - A fatal crash that happened Thursday night is now being investigated by the Topeka Police Department after officers allegedly pursued the car twice.

The Department says that reports first came around 11:30 p.m. on January 19 of an erratic driver in a silver vehicle. TPD did not provide further details about the vehicle.

Officers caught up with the car, observed it, and tried to conduct a traffic stop, but the department says the driver did not stop. Officers initiated a pursuit. Police pursued the vehicle for some time but then had to stop as speeds became unsafe in the area. Later, the Shawnee Co. Sheriff’s Office found the same vehicle again and tried to stop the car, but the driver allegedly did not stop again. Another pursuit was initiated until sheriff’s deputies decided to stop the pursuit once again due to unsafe speeds.

Minutes later, law enforcement officers were called to respond to a single-vehicle crash in the 2300 block of NW Topeka Blvd. The description of the vehicle involved in the crash was the same vehicle officers’ were attempting to pull over. Once officers arrived on the scene, life-saving measures were performed on the driver, described as an adult female. TPD says no one else was in the vehicle. The driver was taken to a local hospital but was later pronounced dead.

The Police Department identified the driver as Cheyenne Day, 21, of Topeka.

According to TPD, neither agency was in pursuit of the vehicle when it crashed.

The Topeka Police Department is investigating the crash.

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