Person of interest in local 15-year-old girl’s death turns himself in

MONTGOMERY COUNTY — The person of interest in the death of a local teenage girl is now in custody.

Tommy Moreland, 29, of Dayton, turned himself in to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Tuesday, a sheriff’s office spokesperson said.

>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 15-year-old girl killed in Harrison Twp. ‘rolling shootout’

Moreland is currently being held in the Montgomery County Jail. While he was already facing a failure to comply charge, a spokesperson said other charges, including murder, are under review by the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office.

As News Center 7 previously reported, Moreland was charged with one count of failure to comply last month in Vandalia Municipal Court. He’s accused of leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase after the deadly shooting of 15-year-old Heaven Washington.

On Nov. 17, deputies responded to a “rolling shootout” near the intersection of Turner Road and Philadelphia Drive. As News Center 7 previously reported, Washington, a passenger in one of the vehicles involved, was shot and killed.

Deputies said Tuesday that they did not believe Washington was the intended target of the shooting, “but a tragic casualty of ongoing street violence.”

>> RELATED: Person of interest in death of local teen led detectives on 100 mph chase, court records say

The other vehicle involved was believed to be a maroon Toyota RAV4. The SUV was rented to Moreland’s sister and had Maryland plates, according to an affidavit and statement of facts.

The same day as the shooting, the SUV was spotted by detectives in unmarked patrol vehicles at the Englewood Meijer. As detectives were watching the SUV, it began to drive off at a high rate of speed. A chase ensured and the SUV continued to go around 70 mph, running red lights and nearly hitting other cars on the road.

The SUV later got onto Interstate 70 and continued driving recklessly, going approximately 109 mph. Eventually, the SUV got off the interstate and was later found abandoned in a field in Farmersville.

>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: ‘She was a sweet child;’ Grandmother of local teen killed in shootout wants answers about her death

Surveillance video later reviewed by detectives showed Moreland getting into the driver’s seat of the SUV before and driving the chase began.

Moreland’s passenger, Denisha Taylor, was also named a person of interest in the shooting. She turned herself in on Nov. 20 and told detectives Moreland had spotted the undercover detective before the chase. She also said she was “in fear for her life as Moreland fled in excess of 100 miles per hour,” according to court records.

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