Witnesses say the car was running from police. Police say there was no chase. Therese Apel/The Clarion-Ledger Therese Apel, The Clarion-Ledger 2:22 p.m. CDT August 16, 2015
(Photo: Therese Apel/The Clarion-Ledger)
Jackson police and firefighters are investigating a fiery crash in which a man was killed Sunday.
The passenger of a black Nissan Maxima was killed in the wreck on the 2800 block of Greenview Drive. The driver is currently at University of Mississippi Medical Center being treated for his injuries, according to JPD spokesperson Colendula Green.
"They ran into a tree and the car caught on fire. And he was burned beyond recognition," said Melonia Taylor, the grandmother of the victim.
Family members on the scene identified the deceased as Nikey Fisher-Ritchey. A witness said he was able to pull the driver out of the car but was unable to save Fisher-Ritchey.
"I pulled the first guy out, the guy that was driving, and pulled him to the side. He had a cut right here and I didn’t have on no shirt, I had on pants. I took my pants off and wrapped it around his wound, and the car blew up. The car set afire," said Nicholas Young. "Nikey was still in the car."
Young grew up with Fisher-Ritchey.
Witnesses expressed anger and concern because they said they don't believe the police tried to help free Fisher-Ritchey from the car before it exploded. It's procedure for officers to wait for an ambulance crew before removing victims of a car crash for medical safety reasons including that they could have spinal injuries and do not need to be moved until they can be stabilized.
It's unclear if officers were aware that the car was about to explode, or if there was fire showing at the time.
"When I came out of the house, the other dude, he hit the tree right there and the police were already there. The car was about to start fire and the police, they sat right there," Young said. "They watched the car go up in flames and they sat right there."
Green also said the car was stolen during a recent robbery and had been involved in a series of crimes before the accident occurred.
"I don’t know what they were doing, but someone said they were weaving up and down Terry Road in the cars and stuff and they came here," said Taylor.
Green said there was not a police pursuit involved.
Young said Fisher-Ritchey had made some mistakes, but that he was a good person.
"He was a people person, anybody can get along with him. Everybody, anybody," he said. "He was smart, intelligent. He bumped his head a couple times, but he's a smart person, he’s a good person. Everybody loves him. That’s why everybody’s out here, because they know that even though he came from nothing, he’s trying. Even though everybody falls short of the glory of God. He was a good person though."
A wrecker preparing to load the car involved in a deadly crash Sunday in Jackson. (Photo: Therese Apel/The Clarion-Ledger)