Emergency crews responded to a crash at 19th Street and Avenue Q. Police later said one person, Ngoc Dung Tran, 54, died at the scene.
In the moments before the crash there was a police chase that started at about 11:43 a.m. at 19th Street and Memphis Avenue. Police said the suspect’s vehicle caused the crash. The suspect, Jonathan Lavato, 33, and a passenger were seriously hurt, but both survived.
Tran was in a different vehicle – not the suspect’s vehicle. No police officers were hurt.
LPD said four vehicles were involved. Lubbock Fire Rescue was observed using the Jaws of Life to get people out of crashed vehicles. In addition to the fatality, five people were hurt.
Police said the chase started because undercover officers were trying to arrest Lavato as a narcotics suspect.
During the chase, LPD said Lavato threw out something from the vehicle which later tested positive for cocaine. Police said he also had a gun in the vehicle.
Police said there would be an investigation to make sure officers followed procedure and to determine if the procedures are adequate. EverythingLubbock.com sent reporters to a 4:00 pm news conference at the police department. A follow up report will be published on EverythingLubbock.com.
