DETROIT (WXYZ) – “They’re not crash dummies. They didn’t want to lose their lives,” Toya McWilliams said of the horrific crash that claimed the life of her 22-year-old nephew, Jalen McWilliams.
The Detroit father was killed just before 10 a.m. Saturday when a Dodge Durango he was traveling in crashed into a tree on the Woodhall Street high-speed highway near Chandler Park Drive on Detroit’s east side.
The family of Jalen McWilliams said Durango was being followed by Detroit police. Now, the family said they are working to prove it.
Toya McWilliams said, “I don’t understand how the police could get on the news and say they weren’t following them. Why would they be going 60 miles an hour at 10 in the morning, It doesn’t make any sense.” 7 told Action News.
On Wednesday, Detroit Police Department Chief James White commended the six officers who he says were nearby at the time of the accident and were able to save three of the four people.
Several officers suffered minor injuries during the rescue.
“I personally reviewed the video. There was no chase,” White said. “This car was flying through the neighborhood, lost control and crashed into a tree.”
The chief said members of the internal affairs and force investigation conducted their own review because the officers were very close to the accident when it happened.
Police said officers spotted a speeding vehicle and by the time they turned to see it, it had already crashed.
On a nearby surveillance video, you can hear officers pounding on the windows of the vehicles trying to get people out safely as the fire quickly engulfed the vehicle.
“The officers displayed incredible bravery to get those three victims out of the vehicle,” White said.
Police told reporters the driver of the Durango told them he didn’t think he was being followed and lost control and crashed as he was trying to avoid another car.
Toya McWilliams said she did not know who was driving the Durango. She said that for all she knew it was not her nephew.
McWilliams said, “I thought there was a no-chase law here. But they need to get their license plates and catch them another day.”
