A Fort Wayne man is dead after he lead police on a chase from Southgate Plaza to Airport Expressway. Authorities say 40-year-old Jermaine Walker died from blunt force trauma. The coroner has determined the cause of death to be accidental. Police were originally called to the area of Southgate Shopping Plaza around 6:45 Wednesday evening, looking for a wanted suspect who had several active warrants out for his arrest. Officers set up surveillance in the area, and the suspect was seen parking in the center's lot a few minutes later. Officers went up to Walker, who drove off with a passenger in his vehicle but stopped to let the person out before leading police on a chase south on Airport Expressway from Fairfield Avenue. During the chase, officers deployed a tire deflation device, causing two of the tires in the suspect vehicle to deflate. He continued driving south on Airport Expressway and as he neared Ardmore Avenue, he went left of center, driving in the northbound lanes. A construction vehicle saw the suspect vehicle and tried to drive to the right of the road, but Walker drove in the direction of the construction vehicle, sideswiping the cab of the truck and then hit the left rear wheels of it. Walker was pinned in his vehicle until being extricated by Fort Wayne fire crews. He was then taken from the scene in critical condition and died while being treated at a local hospital. The incident remains under investigation.
