Police Chase in Syracuse Ends with 1 Fatality and Another Injured

A late-night police chase in Syracuse ended in tragedy early Monday morning, leaving one man dead and a woman injured.

Onondaga County Sheriff’s deputies say they attempted to stop a reportedly stolen minivan around 2:30 a.m. on Avery Avenue. Instead of pulling over, the driver sped off, heading east on West Genesee Street before turning onto Erie Boulevard.

Investigators say the driver lost control while navigating a curve near the 1000 block of Erie Boulevard and slammed into a telephone pole. The impact was severe enough to eject a female passenger from the vehicle.

The male driver was pronounced dead at the scene. His name has not yet been released as authorities work to notify family members.

The female passenger survived the crash and was taken to Upstate University Hospital. Officials say she suffered minor injuries, a result that could have been far worse given the circumstances.

Because the incident involved a police pursuit and resulted in a fatality, the investigation has been turned over to the New York State Attorney General’s Office. From this point forward, that office will handle all aspects of the case, including a review of what led up to the crash.

Sheriff’s officials say they will not be commenting further and are directing all inquiries to the Attorney General’s Office.

Erie Boulevard was closed for several hours overnight while investigators worked the scene. The road has since reopened.

The investigation remains ongoing, and additional information is expected to be released in the coming days.