ATLANTA — A busy southwest Atlanta intersection was shut down after a deadly wreck Wednesday afternoon.
Channel 2's Tyisha Fernandes was at the scene at the intersection of Campbellton Road and Lee Street where she saw at least 25 Atlanta police officers and Georgia State Patrol troopers investigating.
Police said they attempted to pull over the driver, who was wanted for carjacking, but the driver refused to stop and drove through an intersection, slamming into another vehicle. Two men in the car that was hit were killed. Police said they were innocent bystanders.
The collision caused a chain reaction crash with other cars at the intersection. Minor injuries were reported among the other cars.
I’m at the scene of a terrible crash on Lee St & Campbellton Rd in Atlanta. Two people are dead & 5 cars are involved. Police say they tried to pull someone over, & when that driver took off & sped through the intersection, the driver caused this fatal wreck. Live reports NOW pic.twitter.com/O9lS4x61DN
— Tyisha Fernandes (@TyishaWSB) December 4, 2019
Police told Fernandes that two teens carjacked a man around 3:30 a.m. outside an ATM on the 900 block of Ralph David Abernathy Drive.
Officers said they spotted the vehicle around 2:30 p.m. and tried to chase them, but they got away.
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Witnesses said they wish police didn't chase these suspects, but police said the circumstances fit the criteria to pursue.
"It does fall within our standard procedure. We don't chase everyone, and we're very strict on who we allow our officers to chase. In this case the vehicle was taken at gunpoint, it was a carjacking so we allowed the chase to continue," said Atlanta Police Chief Deputy Jeff Glazier.
"All chases are dangerous, that's why we have a very strict chase policy. We knew that this vehicle was taken in a carjacking and that the suspects were armed, so that's why we pursued the vehicle," Glazier said.
Officers said the crash was so disturbing, police officials brought in some counselors to speak to the officers.
Investigators charged the driver and passenger of the carjacked Jeep Grand Cherokee in connection with the crash. The driver has been identified as Marguell Scott, 19, and the passenger as Emmanuel Fambro, 19, both of whom are familiar to police, and have had frequent contact with police as juveniles, police said.
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