Jamaal M. Willis-Powell

How they died

Pursuit

A Kia Forte with a burned-out headlight passed two deputies who were parked on the side of the road about 8:30 p.m. As one of the deputies pulled into the road, he allegedly saw the other illegally pass a car that was stopped at a red light before turning right onto Collinsworth Road. In his report, the deputy noted the other "appeared to already be fleeing from me before I activated my emergency equipment." The license plate on the car was registered to a different other. The deputy activated his lights and siren, but the Kia sped away. The other allegedly passed multiple cars by crossing double yellow lines and entering the opposite lane of travel, reaching speeds of up to 70 mph. Due to the speeds and nature of the roads, deputies were a short distance behind the fleeing other and reportedly lost sight of it. Driver Jamaal Willis-Powell, 30, was trapped in the mangled other. His passenger, Jasmine Simone Hayes, 28, was ejected from the car. Both were killed.

Why we remember them

This record exists so that Jamaal M. Willis-Powell, and all who are named in this archive, are never reduced to a number.

References & sources