Snohomish County — Local police are reviewing their pursuit policies after two chases ended in fatal crashes involving innocent drivers.
"The loudest explosion, most devastating thing I think I've ever heard," said Aunisha Mostafazadeh, the first person to reach 72-year-old Jerry Bennett's van Friday night in a Mountlake Terrace gas station parking lot.
His van crumpled in the high-speed impact with a van driven by 42-year-old Shellie Collins.
"I asked him a few times if he was OK and he didn't respond," said Mostafazadeh.
Court papers show officers tried to stop Collins and her male passenger on misdemeanor and drug warrants, but she took off with police in pursuit. She later confessed to smoking crack hours before she swerved on city and county roads, finally crashing into Bennett's van and killing him.
We checked Collins' criminal history and found several aliases and 31 drug and driving convictions.
It's the second time a Snohomish County driver has been killed in a pursuit this month.
"It makes you feel like, 'Can I leave the house?' Because it could have been anybody," said Susan Kamin. Her daughter-in-law, Rachael, was hit and killed by a driver fleeing Bothell police in a stolen truck two weeks ago.
"My son asked why they don't use a helicopter like they do in California and they said it's too expensive," said Kamin.
Both pursuits are under review.
Lynnwood police said they average 10 pursuits a year. Officers terminate about a third of those on their own for a variety of reasons.
KIRO
