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Teen Driver Facing Charges In Officer's Death

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Sep 8, 2008 1:46 pm US/Eastern

Teen Driver Facing Charges In Officer's Death

A teenage driver is facing charges of involuntary manslaughter after a crash that killed an 18-year police veteran and left second officer was critically injured.

Police said Officers Isabel Nazario and Terry Tull were joining the pursuit of a white Cadillac Escalade when their cruiser was struck by the suspect near 39th and Wallace Streets in the Belmont section of the city on September 5 at about 9:00 p.m.

Eyewitnesses said the SUV was travelling between 50-70 miles per hour and had run several red lights before striking the officers' vehicle.

Both officers were trapped inside the cruiser following the crash and had to be extricated by Fire Rescue and Medic Units.

Officer Nazario, 40, was rushed to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania where she succumbed to her injuries at about 9:48 p.m. Officer Tull, a 12-year veteran was admitted to the hospital in critical condition, but has since been upgraded to guarded with a broken hip and ribs.

The driver of the SUV, identified as 16-year-old Andre Butler, fled the scene after the crash, but was soon apprehended at Union and Mt. Vernon Streets.

Butler reportedly told police he ran because he did not want to go back to jail after previously escaping custody in Family Court last June.

Butler will be charged as an adult with third degree murder, aggravated assault, fleeing police, involuntary vehicular manslaughter and related offenses.

Nazario has a sister and fiancée who are also Philadelphia police officers. She is survived by her mother, daughter, and large extended family.

Officer Nazario is the third Philadelphia Police officer to die while on duty within a year.

The incident remains under investigation.

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