At Rest
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In loving memory
Melvin Woodyard
United States · Aged 45 · Died 10/07/2002
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How they died
Vehic/Purs
A chase began at around 10:50 p.m. when officers Scott Barrick and Jason Criner saw a Chrysler sedan that had been reported stolen at Wilshire and Coplin. They radioed to other officers to join the pursuit. At 11:03 p.m., Sgt. Rodney Cox ordered the officers by radio to end the chase. One car stopped. The remaining five cars, each occupied by two officers, continued chasing the Chrysler for 17.3 miles. Officers Richard Neinhuis and Courtney Anderson's car crashed into an unrelated Ford Crown Victoria, killing passenger Melvin Woodyard. The allegedly stolen Chrysler was not found. The 10 officers (Neinhuis, Anderson, Barrick, Criner, Jason Tonti, Glenn Anderson, Timothy Barr, D'Clarence Reynolds, Aaron Kraszewski and Alexis Sukey, all assigned to the tactical services unit) were suspended without pay. Wayne County prosecutors decided not to issue criminal charges against any of the officers.
Alleged responsible partyDetroit Police DepartmentReported by the cited sources. “Alleged” is used pending verification.
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This record exists so that Melvin Woodyard, and all who are named in this archive, are never reduced to a number.
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