Police Chase Called off Before Fatal Wichita Crash

Wichita police say officers ended a chase two minutes before a fleeing motorist was involved in a fatal collision.

Officials said Monday that the pursuit ended just after 2 a.m. Sunday after speeds reached 60 to 70 mph. The Wichita Eagle reports that the driver of the fleeing van then ran a stop sign and slammed into a car.

Capt. Brent Allred says the car’s driver, 34-year-old Maria Martinez, was taken to a hospital, where she was later pronounced dead. Her husband was a passenger, and he was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries. Two people in the van also were hospitalized.

Allred says one of the people in the van has an outstanding warrant linked to an unsolved 2007 homicide.