Police: Man Speeds Away From Traffic Stop, Crashes, Dies

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The driver of a car who sped off from a traffic stop ended up in a fatal crash on Becks Run Road in Pittsburgh's Carrick neighborhood, said police, who are still trying to figure out why it happened.

"This is so sad, because he just lost his grandmother four days ago. And now he's gone. It just hurts so much," said Kenneth Pelton, who went to the crash scene when he heard the news about his friend, Devon Holliday.

Baldwin Borough police Chief Michael Scott told Channel 4 Action News' Ari Hait that an officer noticed the 29-year-old Holliday's car swerving and weaving on Brownsville Road in front of another vehicle, which was driven by Holliday's girlfriend.

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Images From The Scene

"What he saw when he pulled up behind her -- he noticed the car in front of her, who was weaving and hit the curb several times," Scott said. "His determination was he didn't see anything wrong with the second vehicle. He motioned for her to pull over so he could get the first vehicle, which he did."

Just over the border into Carrick, around 2 a.m. Friday, the officer pulled Holliday over and the girlfriend also stopped her car. While the officer was running Holliday's license plate, his vehicle took off at a high rate of speed, Scott said.

Holliday's car eventually crashed on Becks Run Road, and Holliday was ejected in the wreck. Police told Hait that he lost control while driving and hit a house on Becks Run near Brownsville Road.

"I just heard a big bang. Come down to find a car right here where we're standing," said Tom Arbasak, who owns the home where the car crashed.

Arbasak said that the crash was obviously violent, leaving a trail of debris in its wake.

"Half of it was laying on that side of the street over there. When he hit the guardrail and tree, he took the whole passenger side of the car off," Arbasak said, adding that a motorcyclist wrecked on the same bend just a couple of weeks ago.

Holliday, of Beltzhoover, was taken to UPMC Mercy Hospital, where he was pronounced dead around 3 a.m.

Pelton, one of Holliday's best friends, stopped by the crash site on Friday and spoke to Channel 4 Action News' Ashlie Hardway.

Pelton said he had to see the scene for himself. He also told Hardway that he couldn't believe this is where his childhood friend spent his final moments.

"I was just hoping he was hurt -- if he was in an accident, just hurt, not gone, just not gone like this," Pelton said.

Pelton said the situation is especially difficult because Holliday has three young children and that Holliday's family was already mourning his grandmother. He said he will try to help Holliday's family take care of his friend's sons.

Police are still investigating what caused the crash.

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