Police ID driver killed in Glenolden crash

Wednesday, December 31, 2014
VIDEO: Chase and crash
Police say a driver who fled police died in a crash.

GLENOLDEN, Pa. (WPVI) -- Police say the victim of a deadly crash in Delaware County was trying to outrun the law.

He is identified as Mark Eric Anderson, 25, of Chester.

The accident happened around 4:00 p.m. Monday along the 100 block of South Chester Pike in Glenolden.

"It was more like whistles going off and then as the whistles were going then it was just a large bang. I ran down stairs hoping it wasn't one of my employees, looked down the street, and there were just mangled cars everywhere," the owner of a nearby dealership, Doug Meissner, said.

Investigators say a Folcroft police officer tried to pull over the male driver of a white Nissan Altima on Chester Pike at Primos Avenue.

The police officer noticed that the vehicle's Certificate of Inspection was peeled back from the windshield and it appeared to be counterfeit.

After following the Nissan for a few minutes, the officer observed that Anderson turned onto Chester Pike traveling west and accelerated to an excessive rate of speed on Chester Pike.

Less than a mile later, Anderson crashed into a red Pontiac Grand Am which was travelling northbound.

Meissner saw the aftermath.

"Police had their guns drawn on the white car and that's all I saw, pretty horrific," Meissner said.

Investigators say the impact killed the driver who was running from police and critically injured the man behind the wheel of the Grand Am.

There's no word on why the driver of the Altima took off.

After his body was removed from the vehicle, Action News spotted what appeared to be expensive rims inside the car.

Firefighters were on the scene quickly because the crash happened feet away from Glenolden Fire Company.

Rachel McGowan rushed here because her son and husband work out of the fire station.

"They're all fine thankfully, but somebody's not and it's sad," McGowan said.

As police continue their investigation they say they're still trying to identify the man who ran from them.

"It's just mindboggling, blows your mind to think that stupidity can take lives," McGowan of Glenolden said.

Meanwhile, the other driver remains critical at Crozer-Chester Medical Center.