Passenger killed in Tuscaloosa crash during predawn police chase was 15-year-old girl, troopers say

Passenger killed in Tuscaloosa crash during predawn police chase was 15-year-old girl, troopers say

The passenger killed in an early-morning crash during a police chase in Tuscaloosa was a young teen girl.

Alabama State Troopers Friday night said the fatality victim was 15 years old. Troopers do not release the names of juveniles.

Trooper Cpl. Reginal King identified the driver as 19-year-old Kevonta O. Hayward-Jackson.

A Tuscaloosa police officer at 4 a.m. tried to stop a vehicle that had run a stop sign at 13th Street East and 15th Avenue, TPD spokeswoman Stephanie Taylor said earlier Friday.

The driver – now identified as Hayward-Jackson – refused to stop and continued driving along Kicker Road and then north toward Jack Warner Parkway, Taylor said. The officer pursued the suspect vehicle, but the driver continued driving on to 25th Avenue East.

At 4:03 a.m., the suspect vehicle left the roadway and crashed near the curve by Tamaha Trace.

King said Hayward-Jackson was driving a 2000 Ford Taurus that left the roadway and struck several trees.

The teen girl was pronounced dead on the scene. Hayward-Jackson was hospitalized with injuries.

The crash remains under investigation by ALEA’s Highway Patrol Division.