Wichita police have two men in custody for crimes that led to a brief chase and then a fatal crash at a west side intersection.
Police said a 35-year-old man reported being robbed at a hotel in the 7500 block of West Taft around 5 p.m. Tuesday. The man reported seeing the suspect leave the area with another man. Police found a 34-year-old suspect at Maple and Ridge Road and took him into custody, and he was wanted for a previous robbery. The other man left the area in a truck and officers began a chase, but they called it off because of high speed and traffic conditions.
The truck ran a red light at Central and Ridge Road, and it struck three other vehicles. One car rolled over after the crash, and the driver, 22-year-old Samantha Russell of Wichita, was taken to a hospital where she died later. She was 33 weeks pregnant and police said her baby was hospitalized in critical condition.
The 37-year-old driver of the truck was caught after running from the crash scene, and he was booked into jail. The robbery suspect was booked into jail for aggravated robbery and felon in possession of a firearm. Police said he was on parole from the Kansas Department of Corrections.
