COBLESKILL, NY- According to Ajc.com, a pedestrian was struck and killed by a police cruiser on Friday, November 9, 2018. The incident started when a speeding vehicle was spotted by officers at about 10 at night. Two police cruisers from the Cobleskill department attempted to pull the vehicle over. The speeding vehicle went through a red light, and a police vehicle in pursuit struck a pedestrian who had begun to cross the street.
The victim was identified as 26-year-old Gerard Roldan III. Roldan was transported to a nearby hospital and declared dead.
The police are investigating the incident. The officer who struck Roldan is not on administrative leave. An alcohol test was conducted, and the officer passed. The results of a blood test and drug screening are still pending.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about 329 people die in police chase-related crashes each year. However, the number might be higher because there is some question about whether all crashes that are related to police chases are properly reported.
It is difficult to determine what percent of those people killed were innocent bystanders. The numbers do not differentiate between victims who were in a fleeing vehicle and victims who were not involved in the chase at all.
According to usatoday.com, about 55 percent of victims are the people being pursued by the police.
Records of police chases indicate that many of these dangerous pursuits are carried out over minor infractions such as speeding violations, reckless driving, and in some cases, expired registration, o missing license plates. Only 5 percent of chases involved a suspect of a violent crime.
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