DAYTON — A vigil was held this evening for 35-year-old Ebony Radford where she was killed in a crash following a police pursuit on Oakridge Drive July 14.
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Radford was a passenger of a 2007 Dodge Magnum that reportedly failed to stop when a state trooper initiated a traffic stop on Gettysburg Avenue.
Radford was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver, 37-year-old Thurston Melson, fled onto Oakridge, ran a stop sign, then crashed into a utility pole, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Radford’s family is seeking answers as to why police were allowed to pursue the vehicle in a residential area.
“These are questions that the family needs to know in order to have some type of closure,” Radford’s aunt Bridgitte Harris said.
Referred to as “Nana” by her family, Radford will never see her 14-year-old son grow up because of a 20 second police pursuit, her family said. They are advocating for “Nana’s Law,” something they hope will stop officers from pursuits on residential streets.
“There is a lot to this,” Harris said. “Why are you chasing on a street like this?”
Radford’s family said they were told by police they would need to obtain a copy of the police report in Columbus. They are unsure if Melson was impaired, and if he was, why a cruiser would be allowed to pursue.
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“We keep hearing that they thought he was impaired,” Harris said. “If he was, why pursue him? It’s irrational.”
According to Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine’s website, an advisory group was formed in May 2016 to examine the issue and create a model pursuit policy to help guide agencies throughout the state.
The advisory group recommended that each agency examine its current pursuit policy and draw at will from the group's model. The 16-page report can be read here.
Radford’s family is aware of the group and says someone must be held accountable for what happened.
“Everything was taken away in 20 seconds,” said Radford’s aunt Linda Lacking. “What was the reason for even chasing him the night my niece got killed?”