WEST SENECA, NY — A police pursuit that started with a traffic stop ended Tuesday night with one person dead and three others hurt after a pickup truck crashed on Harlem Road in West Seneca and caught fire.

The collision has renewed scrutiny of the West Seneca Police Department’s pursuit policy, especially because it came less than three weeks after another deadly pursuit linked to the department. The New York State Attorney General’s Office has been notified and is conducting an independent investigation into the latest crash.

Police said an officer tried to stop a pickup truck near 650 Harlem Road around 7:15 p.m. The driver fled, traveled about a half mile south at high speed, and struck a vehicle heading northbound.

Witnesses described a pickup speeding downhill before the impact

John Walsh was nearby when the crash happened and said the pickup truck appeared to come down Harlem Road at a dangerous speed. He described debris flying through the air and said he had to swerve to avoid being hit by a tire.

Walsh called it one of the worst crashes he has ever seen. His account matches the violent scene police described, with the pickup overturning and then igniting after the collision.

Police said the driver of the pickup was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash left the other vehicle badly affected as well, with three people inside taken to Erie County Medical Center for treatment of injuries of varying severity.

Police say the department’s policy leaves room for officer judgment

WKBW obtained West Seneca’s vehicle pursuit policy through a Freedom of Information Law request. The policy does not ban pursuits outright based on the kind of traffic offense involved. Instead, it gives officers discretion while requiring them to weigh the danger created by the chase.

According to the policy, public safety is the main concern during any pursuit. It also directly addresses traffic violations and warns that those violations alone cannot justify extreme speeds or hazardous driving.

The policy further says officers should think about ending a pursuit early if it begins to create a serious danger to officers or to the public. That language is now central to the discussion around Tuesday night’s crash and whether the pursuit should have continued.

Officials have not said what led to the stop or chase

Police have not released the reason for the initial traffic stop or explained what specifically led to the pursuit. They also have not provided more details about the decision-making that preceded the crash.

The department has not responded to questions about whether it plans to review or change the policy in light of the latest deadly incident. That leaves the public with only the written pursuit rules and the limited facts released so far about how the chase unfolded.

The crash remains under active investigation. The Attorney General’s Office is handling an independent review, which adds another layer of scrutiny beyond the local police department’s own account.

The deadly crash follows another pursuit-linked tragedy on Sept. 3

The Harlem Road crash came less than three weeks after another West Seneca police pursuit ended in death. On Sept. 3, officers were chasing a vehicle reported stolen from Amherst when it crashed at Jefferson Avenue and George Street in Buffalo.

Five people were inside that vehicle. Two teenagers, 15-year-old Danielle Hilton and 18-year-old Brendon Gibson, later died from their injuries, and three others were seriously hurt.

That earlier crash is also being investigated by the New York State Attorney General’s Office and Buffalo police. Together, the two incidents have made the department’s pursuit practices a major public issue.

Town supervisor says major incidents trigger after-action reviews

West Seneca Town Supervisor Dickson told WKBW that the police department conducts after-action reviews after major incidents, including the two recent pursuits. He said the department adjusts policy when appropriate.

Those comments suggest any changes would likely come after internal review rather than in response to a single incident alone. Still, the town has not said whether the most recent crash will lead to a formal policy update.

The department did not respond to WKBW’s questions about possible changes, leaving open whether officials will tighten rules, clarify officer discretion, or keep the existing policy in place while investigations continue.