Troopers Stop Chases When They Believe They’re Too Dangerous

Washington State Patrol troopers say they cut off a chase that started on I-82 on Sunday before the driver was involved in a fatal crash that also injured another driver. Lt. Kylie Connaway with the Washington State Patrol office in Union Gap says when troopers feel a chase could be dangerous it's stopped. He says there's only a few exceptions when a chase would be continued. "It depends on the crime and what the person was wanted for. If it was a murder suspect for example the persuit may continue." In Sunday's crash troopers say they tried to stop 39-year-old Joyce Elwell after they found her speeding along
I-82 at speeds of upwards of 100 miles per hour. They stopped chasing her vehicle but a short time later she crashed into truck at State Route 24 and Birchfield Road. Elwell died. The other driver was injured and taken to a Yakima hospital with non-life threatening injuries.