Syracuse woke up to flashing lights and twisted metal early Tuesday morning after a stolen minivan slammed into a telephone pole, killing 31-year-old Taijon M. Williams. The crash happened just before dawn on Erie Boulevard West and brought traffic to a standstill for hours while investigators worked the scene.
Williams, a Syracuse resident, was behind the wheel of the minivan when it crashed near 1008 Erie Blvd., according to the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities say he was fleeing law enforcement at the time. The impact was violent, and Williams was pronounced dead at the scene.
The chain of events started shortly before 2:30 a.m. Syracuse police stopped the minivan in the 700 block of Grand Avenue after learning it had been reported stolen. Officers were waiting for another unit to arrive when, without warning, the driver took off.
Syracuse police did not chase the vehicle. Department policy bars pursuits involving stolen vehicles, and officers backed off as the minivan sped away into the early-morning darkness.
A short time later, deputies with the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office spotted the minivan on Avery Avenue and tried to stop it. A second patrol car joined in as the vehicle continued east along West Genesee Street, then turned onto Erie Boulevard West.
Deputies say the driver lost control while navigating a curve. The minivan left the roadway and crashed hard into a telephone pole, tearing the vehicle apart. A woman riding in the passenger seat was thrown from the minivan during the crash. She was taken to Upstate University Hospital and treated for injuries described as minor.
The wreck shut down Erie Boulevard West for nearly eight hours as crews cleared debris and investigators documented every detail. As required in any case involving a police pursuit and a death, the New York State Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigations has stepped in for a preliminary review. Officials say the process is routine and remains ongoing as they piece together the final moments leading up to the fatal crash.
