NORFOLK, Va. — Two people were killed early Friday morning when a stolen vehicle ran off Granby Street, struck a tree and caught fire, according to Norfolk Police.
The crash happened around 3:15 a.m. Aug. 7 near the intersection of Granby Street and Beverly Avenue. Officers responding to the scene found both people inside the vehicle dead.
Police later determined the vehicle was the same one Norfolk officers had pursued earlier that morning. Investigators said the vehicle had been reported stolen.
According to police, officers ended the pursuit and lost contact with the vehicle before the crash occurred. A short time later, a citizen saw the vehicle strike a tree and called 911. Norfolk Police and Norfolk Fire-Rescue were dispatched to the scene.
The sequence of events — particularly the time and distance between the end of the police pursuit and the crash — is likely to be an important part of the continuing investigation.
Police said preliminary findings indicate speed may have contributed to the crash, but investigators have not announced a final cause.
Authorities had not conclusively identified the two people killed as of the department’s Aug. 7 statement. Police said their names will be withheld until identification is confirmed and their next of kin have been notified.
The Norfolk Police Department’s Traffic Unit is continuing to investigate the crash and said additional information will be released as it becomes available.