New footage shows Springfield cruiser hit fence, teen trying to run from crash

Newly-released police dash camera footage shows the moments a Springfield police officer crashed into a fence while chasing a teen, sending the teen onto the top of the chasing cruiser.

The footage was obtained following a News Center 7 public records request into the May 22 incident involving Springfield police Officer Christopher Armstrong and three teens who ran from the scene. This news outlet requested the video on the day of the pursuit after being notified a police cruiser was involved in the incident.

Footage of the chase shows the moment Armstrong takes up the pursuit in Springfield through the time the stolen minivan crashed on Fairfield Pike in Mad River Twp.

An Ohio State Highway Patrol crash investigation revealed one of the teens, previously identified by family members as Tyron Moore, 16, of Urbana, was hurt after the van crashed into a ditch. Moore was also injured, but not as severely, when he climbed a fence to get away but landed on top of Armstrong’s cruiser when the officer crashed into the fence, an Ohio State Highway Patrol crash investigation found.

The footage released Tuesday shows the crash as described in the state trooper incident report, including blood on the police cruiser from Moore’s injury. State troopers listed Moore’s injuries in the first crash involving only the stolen minivan as “suspected serious injuries.” While the second crash, involving Moore and the Springfield police cruiser, his injuries were listed as “possible injuries.”

“The occupants of the suspect’s vehicle fled on foot. (Armstrong) continued to pursue the occupants through the yard at 4655 Fairfield Pike. (Moore) was climbing a wooden fence when (Armstrong) struck the fence. (Moore) struck the right front hood / fender of (Armstrong’s cruiser),” state troopers documented in the crash report.

State troopers noted that after the cruiser hit the fence, and Moore then hit the cruiser, Moore tried to run away again before he was caught and placed into custody. Cruiser camera footage released Tuesday shows the incident as described.

A Springfield police spokesperson said Tuesday that the cruiser Armstrong was driving skidded on wet grass before crashing into the fence, which sent Moore onto the cruiser.

“The fleeing teens scale a wooden fence and one of the following police cruisers skids 18 feet on the damp grass, knocking over part of the fence. This caused (Moore), who was on top of the fence, to fall and brush the hood of the cruiser before tumbling to the grass,” the spokesperson said.

Moore and the other two teens were later located and arrested near the scene of the minivan crash.

Springfield Police Chief Allison Elliott said the video released Tuesday, 22 days after News Center 7′s initial public records request, was released to ‘ensure transparency.’

“We’re releasing this incident review video and the cruiser camera footage to ensure transparency and to show the community the crime spree that led to this pursuit,” Chief Elliott continued. “Police pursuits can be dangerous, but getting violent, armed individuals who terrorize the community off our streets will always be a top priority. Even though these individuals who committed these offenses are young, they were a genuine threat.”

News Center 7 requested an interview with Elliott, but the request was denied. A city spokesperson stated Tuesday the city would not have someone available for an interview and would not comment further outside the press release and video sent today. Instead, Springfield police sent an additional video with Elliott speaking on camera, but she was not made available to reporters for questions.