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Officer, Civilian Killed During Pursuit Of Kidnapping Suspect

402335 03: Dozens of vehicles sit in the northbound lanes of Interstate 75 after a deadly pileup along a foggy stretch of raod March 14, 2002 in Ringold, northwest Georgia. Authorities said as many as five people were killed in the accident involving about 125 vehicles on both directions of the busy interstate. (Photo by Erik S. Lesser/Getty Images) Note: the crash in this image isn not the crash mentioned in the story

Erik S. Lesser/Getty Images

Kevin Harness Contributor
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A Santa Fe police officer and a motorist were killed in a crash Wednesdayduring the pursuit of a kidnapping suspect.

The chase started around 11:06 a.m. when Santa Fe police responded to a report about an alleged kidnapping in progress at the Rancho Vizcaya Apartments. A man who was reportedly armed with a knife carjacked a vehicle with a woman inside, KOB 4 reported. (RELATED: ‘Last Lap Of Freedom’: Felon Pulls Rifle On Driver, Steals Car And Leads Police On Crazy Chase)

Police found the reported vehicle, but the driver fled. He traveled onto I-25 and proceeded to drive in the opposite direction, according to KOB 4.

“Between the Old Pecos Trail exit and the Eldorado Exit, the driver got on to the northbound lane of traffic traveling southbound,” Deputy Chief Ben Valdez said, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican. “A crash occurred at Mile Marker 286 in the northbound lane. The crash involved at least four vehicles; two Santa Fe Patrol Units, the fleeing vehicle and an uninvolved vehicle.”

As a result of the crash, a Santa Fe officer, who was identified as Robert Duran, 43, and a civilian motorist, whose identity was not released, were killed. The suspect fled the scene and the woman who was in the vehicle with him was taken to a local hospital, according to KOB 4.

“Tragically we have lost one of Santa Fe’s finest, a devoted police officer who gave his life in the line of duty and in service to this community,” Santa Fe Mayor Allan Weber said, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican. Mayor Webber added that the people of Santa Fe remember the civilian who lost her life during the incident as well.

Duran joined the force in 2015 and was the third SFPD officer in the department’s history to be killed in the line of duty, according to the Albuquerque Journal.