Volant man dies after jump during police chase

pittsburgh

A Volant, Pa., man died in a Pittsburgh hospital after a chase that crossed two counties.

The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office said Tuesday an autopsy will be performed today on Thomas William Booth, 22. Booth led police on a 20-mile chase that began at 10:45 p.m. Monday in Allegheny County, continued into Butler County and involved five police departments, state police in Butler said.

He had been approached by a Sewickley Heights officer while parked in his vehicle along Blackburn Road in Allegheny County, but fled. Jackson Township police in Butler County deployed stop sticks on I-79 North at the Tollgate Road overpass, and his tires deflated, police said.

He tried to flee by jumping from the overpass, falling 22 feet onto Tollgate Road. He was hurt, and pursued on foot by a Cranberry Township officer who also sustained injuries, police said.

Booth was taken by helicopter to UPMC Presbyterian. The injured police officer was taken by helicopter to Allegheny General Hospital.