The driver who led Denton police on a chase Wednesday night died Thursday morning, according to police.
Denton Police Department spokesman Ryan Grelle said officers tried to pull over an orange Pontiac at about 7 p.m. Wednesday after the license plate indicated the car was stolen.
The driver, later identified as 24-year-old Isaac Turnage, did stop at one point. A passenger exited peacefully and was detained, but police said Turnage then took off at a high rate of speed, drove into the intersection at Woodrow Lane and McKinney Street and was hit by a Ford pickup truck.
A woman who was driving the truck and a child inside were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. There was a third person in the truck who was not injured.
Officers said Turnage was flown to the hospital in critical condition after police tried to pull him over.
"[The officers] initiated saying, 'This vehicle left,'" said Grelle. "My understanding is the sergeant on duty said, 'Let [the suspect] go. We know who he is because we already got his passenger.'[The officers] said, ‘Not a problem. It’s too late, he already wrecked out at Woodrow and McKinney.'"
Police questioned the passenger who was in the stolen car. As of 12:30 p.m., the passenger is not facing any charges.
