Attempted stop for traffic violation turns into pursuit, deadly crash in West Midtown, police say

ATLANTA - Two people have been killed in a crash following an overnight police chase through West Midtown Atlanta.

Officials with the Atlanta Police Department tell FOX 5 that the incident started around 1 a.m. on Northside Drive when an officer tried to pull over a Toyota RAV4 for what police are describing as a traffic violation.

Instead of stopping, officers say the driver sped off, leading to a chase.

The pursuit ended at the intersection of Northside Drive and 14th Street when the driver of the RAV4 ran a red light, crashed into a 2022 Mitsubishi Highlander traveling eastbound on the street.

Georgia State Patrol said the driver of the Highlander, 39-year-old Guillermo Bracho Barrios, and the front seat passenger, 27-year-old Gemini Jerome Jackson died in the crash. Three backseat passengers went to Grady Memorial Hospital.

The driver in the suspect vehicle has also been rushed to the hospital with serious injuries

FOX 5 cameras at the scene saw three damaged vehicles - the black Highlander, the white RAV4, and a red convertible - in the roadway and in the parking lot of a nearby Shell gas station.

Police have not released the names of the two victims or the suspect in the incident at this time.

Troopers with the Georgia State Patrol are in the area investigating the crash. Drivers should expect major delays and should try to avoid Northside Drive as officers continue their investigation and crews work to clean up the damage.