COLUMBUS (WCMH) — A mother of a 4-month-old baby girl is recovering at Grant Medical Center following a deadly, high-speed crash that closed a section of Morse Road Thursday evening.
Columbus police confirmed a 34-year-old Frankie Stockton Jr. died following a crash near Morse Road and Dunbridge Street at about 9:39pm Thursday. Three others, including one child, were taken to local hospitals with non-life threatening injuries.
According to investigators, Stockton was driving west on Morse Road at a very high rate of speed. As he passed Dunbridge Street, police say he lost control and drove into the eastbound lanes. That’s when his car struck a Toyota driven by Seid Ali, 24, and a Chrysler Town and Country driven by Michelle Johnson, 36, of Blacklick.
Columbus Police say there was significant impact to the driver side of Michelle Johnson’s minivan. However, police say because her 4-month-old baby was in a the back seat inside a quality rear-facing infant seat, she escaped the crash without even a scratch.
A witness to the deadly crash shared cellphone video of Blendon Township Police Officer Justin Whiteside pulling out 34-year-old Frankie Stockton Junior from his burning Chevrolet, while his partner worked to put out the fire.
“I heard people screaming. I got out of the car, I saw the car on fire and people were saying someone was stuck,” Blendon Township Police Officer Justin Whiteside said. “So, I ran over to the car and dragged him by the hand and I put him to the grass.”
Columbus Police said a toxicology report can’t be don’t on Stockton until the autopsy is complete. Police said some witnesses saw another car speeding down the road. The possibility of drag racing being a factor in the crash is still being investigated.
Morse Road was closed in both directions from Westerville Road to Sunbury Road for most of the night as crews investigated the cause of the crash.
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