Man charged after 2 killed in police chase crash

VALLEY, Ala. (AP) — A man faces murder charges after two people were killed in a head-on collision during a police chase, state law enforcement officials said Friday.

The fatal crash occurred Thursday morning in Valley, a small city near the Georgia-Alabama border. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said the driver of one of the cars, Wesley T. McKinnon, was arrested by state troopers after he was released from the hospital and charged with two counts of reckless murder.

State troopers said McKinnon, 20, was attempting to elude officers when the crash occurred. Court records were not available to show if McKinnon has a lawyer to speak on his behalf.

State officials said a Kia Forte driven by McKinnon struck another car, killing 98-year-old Aron C. Haynes. An 18-year-old passenger in the car driven by McKinnon was also killed. State officials did not name the teen.

Court records indicate that McKinnon was out on bond on similar charges in Barbour County at the time of the accident. He is charged with manslaughter and attempting to elude law enforcement in connection to a 2021 accident that killed a woman.

His listed defense attorneys in the Barbour County case did not immediately return an email seeking comment. The district attorney on Friday moved to revoke his bond in the Barbour County case.