DA finds no unlawful actions by police in connection with chase, crash that killed 3 teens

LIMERICK, Pa. (WPVI) -- The actions of police involved in a pursuit, which led to a crash that killed three teenagers last month in Limerick, Pa., were within the law, the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office said Wednesday.

An investigation by the D.A.'s office concluded there were no violations by police during the incident.

Two of the teens killed were Owen J. Roberts High School students, while the third was a former student. They were identified as Gabriel M. Cooper, 17, Nasir Youk, 17, and Saniyah Newsuan, 17.

A fourth teen was seriously injured.

"This horrific crash, seriously injuring one teenager and taking the lives of three others, has left three families grieving the loss of their children," District Attorney Kevin Steele said in a statement. "We, along with the community, share their sadness and loss."

The crash happened shortly after 9 p.m. on June 3.

Limerick police were dispatched after a 911 call for a report of a theft in progress at the Target store on Ridge Pike.

According to the D.A.'s office, a Limerick officer arrived to see a Toyota Camry, being operated without headlights, leaving the Target parking lot onto Kline Road.

RELATED: Emotional vigil for 3 students killed in Limerick crash

The driver made a left onto West Ridge Pike, and the officer activated the patrol vehicle's emergency lights and siren.

The Camry driver then took off with police in pursuit.

Then, in the 300 block of West Ridge Pike, the driver of the Camry lost control. The car left the roadway, traveled over a grassy area for 91 feet, hit a utility pole, collided with a stone retaining wall before going airborne.

The view from Chopper 6 showed a mangled car in the middle of West Ridge Pike, debris scattered across the road, and a crumbled wall.

The D.A.'s office said the investigation found the Camry was driven 1.8 miles on West Ridge Pike in 1 minute, 33 seconds at speeds between 70 and 92 miles per hour.

The driver did not have a Pennsylvania driver's license, investigators said.

Investigators determined the cause of the crash was the inexperience of the driver operating the vehicle at a high rate of speed in fleeing from police, causing her to lose control of the vehicle, the D.A.'s office said.

The incident, however, is raising questions about police pursuits and the need for them.

"The trend in police pursuits these days is to try to limit the high-speed nature of them as much as possible," said Drexel University criminology professor Robert Kane.

He says there's tension in this case; it's illegal to run from police in Pennsylvania, but pursuits like this one can be dangerous.

"Anytime you see an event like this with such a tragic ending...we need to talk about what a policy review would look like," Kane said.

Neighbors in Limerick Township were torn on the chase.

"I mean, I think there's probably a safety factor that has to be considered. They have to do it safely," said one resident named Sandi.

"Well, first of all, they should never go in and steal stuff, second of all, they shouldn't be running away at high speeds," said Bryan Buckingham.

Action News also spoke with Gabriel Cooper's mom. She said she's devastated by the D.A.'s decision and believes police put her son in harm's way by choosing to chase.