Greenville ,SC : 29- years old Robert Timothy McAlister, Jr killed in Crash after stolen police cruiser crash near Rocky Slope Road. on Thursday night ,March 26th 2015

Authorities are releasing new information about a deadly crash they say happened after a man stole a police cruiser.

In a release Friday morning, Greenville County Deputy Coroner Jeff Fowler said Robert Timothy McAlister, Jr., 29, of Greenville, was pronounced dead at the scene Thursday night.

The crash happened about 8:30 p.m. on Verdae Boulevard near Rocky Slope Road.

Police spokesman Johnathan Bragg said the incident started earlier Thursday night when McAlister was involved in a collision with another vehicle on the corner of Cleveland Street and Pleasantburg Drive.

Bragg said McAlister was driving at a high rate of speed when he disregarded a stop sign and hit another car.

According to Bragg, an officer arrived at the scene of the crash and was about to give McAlister a field sobriety test when McAlister jumped in the driver's seat of the patrol car and took off.

He said an officer found the vehicle a couple minutes later on E. Parkins Mill Road stopped behind a pickup truck. Bragg said the officer got out of his vehicle and held McAlister at gunpoint, giving loud verbal commands to get out of the car.

He said McAlister ignored the commands and fled from the officer. Bragg said a pursuit started, and McAlister lost control of the vehicle and hit a brick wall.

According to Bragg, when the officer got to the crash site there was a small fire inside the car, but the officer was able to pull McAlister out of the car.

Greenville County EMS, and Greenville City Fire Department arrived on the scene and put out the fire.

Bragg said the South Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating.


source :
Identity of man killed in police cruiser crash released