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Three killed, two injured following police chase in Anderson

Posted at 10:27 PM, Jan 15, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-17 10:05:10-05

ANDERSON, Ind. -- Three people died and two others were seriously injured in a crash following a police chase in Anderson late Saturday night. 

Anderson Police were called to an armed robbery at the Pizza Hut on Nichol Avenue just after 11 p.m.

When police tried to pull over a minivan matching the description of the vehicle involved, the driver, Gary Agnew, 55, drove off. Police say Agnew pulled into oncoming traffic to avoid a car driving slow and crossed into the path of a Lincoln MKZ carrying a family of four from Noblesville. 

Daniel Oberhart, 53, was driving the MKZ with his wife and two children. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

His son Riley, 24, was taken to Methodist hospital where he later died. Oberhart's wife and daughter were also taken to the hospital with serious injuries. 

The Madison County coroner said Agnew was also killed in the crash. 

The Anderson Police Department said it is their policy to chase suspects who are wanted for violent crimes. 

"The police were doing what they were supposed to do," said Madison County Prosecutor Rodney Cummings 

Cummings said Agnew was wanted in connection to at least three other robberies, besides the Pizza Hut robbery on Saturday night. 

"I mean this is not a speeder, it's a man armed with a gun who has robbed three businesses at least that we know of right now. It puts the officers in a horrible situation. Do we let an armed violent offender get away to victimize others or do we stop them?"