Charges have been filed in a Friday night crash that left a motorist dead – while police say the suspect was fleeing from officers.
Emily Rose Cochran, a 25-year-old who lives in Sylacauga stands charged with manslaughter, fleeing law enforcement/causing a death, also – first-degree and second-degree receiving stolen property. The name of the woman killed has not yet been released by authorities.
The incident began just after 9:00pm – when a “Flock Safety” camera – a license plate reader hit on a stolen Ford F-150 in the city of Midfield. The truck had been stolen out of Vestavia Hills. Police Sgt. Michael Jeffries said an officer tried to stop that pickup truck, but the female driver – now identified as Cochran – fled at a high right of speed.
A short pursuit was initiated – but the officer was unable to keep up with the truck. The officer was calling off the chase when Cochran veered into an opposing lane of traffic onto Bessemer Super Highway, heading away from Midfield toward Bessemer.
Cochran, police said, struck the oncoming motorist. That driver, another woman, who was the lone occupant of her vehicle, was ejected – and was pronounced dead on the scene. Cochran was later checked out by paramedics at the scene and cleared to be taken into custody. Afterwards she was held overnight in the Midfield City Jail – and she was booked in at the Jefferson County Jail afterwards.
