Police chief: Officer killed in crash during chase

SPRINGDALE » An Ohio police officer was killed when a suspect collided with her vehicle during a chase, authorities in a Cincinnati suburb said.

Kaia Grant, 33, is the first police fatality in the line of duty in the history of Springdale, Mayor Doyle Webster said at a news conference. Grant was killed Saturday night in a crash that also injured Sgt. Andrew Davis.

Grant, 33, killed Saturday night in a crash that also injured Sgt. Andrew Davis, is the first police fatality in the line of duty in the history of Springdale, Mayor Doyle Webster said at a news conference.

Officers in another jurisdiction began the pursuit, which entered Springdale city limits, Police Chief Thomas Wells said. Grant and Davis tried to stop the suspect, but at some point during the pursuit, the suspect collided with their cruiser on an interstate.

Grant was treated at the scene and airlifted to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead, Wells said. She had been with Springdale police for eight years.

The suspect is in custody and a firearm was recovered at the scene, Wells said. He didn’t identify the jurisdiction in which the chase began or why the person was being pursued. No charges were immediate announced and an investigation is ongoing, with the assistance of the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the state Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

Police spokesman Keenan Riordan said the suspect is hospitalized, news outlets reported.

Davis, who has been with the department for three decades, was released from the hospital and present at the news conference, news outlets reported, adding that officers from the department lined the back of the briefing room.

Wells thanked those officers for coming to the station to help, as well as departments from around Hamilton County for offering support. He highlighted the agencies covering the city for the department.

“Frankly we’re not in a position to do this right now,” he said. “We’re hurting.”

Gov. Mike DeWine ordered U.S. and Ohio state flags flown at half-staff at all public buildings in Hamilton County in honor of Grant. The governor also ordered flags flown at halfstaff in Mahoning County to honor Youngstown-area state Rep. Don Manning, who officials said died Friday of an apparent heart attack.

SPRINGDALE POLICE DEPARTMRNT VIA AP Springdale Police Officer Kaia Grant is shown. Officer Grant was killed Saturday, March 21 when a suspect being pursued by officers from another police agency crashed into her police car.