John Crawford’s Girlfriend Killed In Auto Collision

Tasha Thomas, the girlfriend of John Crawford III, was killed in a car crash on New Year’s Day. Crawford’s story received national headlines when he was shot and killed by police officers after he brandished an air gun at an Ohio Walmart store. While the incident did not receive the same level of publicity as the Michael Brown and Eric Garner incidents, it nevertheless caused public outcry.

According to the latest reports, Thomas, 26, was traveling in a vehicle with a friend identified as 30-year-old Frederick Bailey. The car was believed to be traveling at dangerous speeds and possibly between 90 and 100 mph. Bailey, who was the driver, lost control and crashed into a pole where the car overturned multiple times. Bailey and Thomas were both ejected from the car and died at the hospital.

Tasha Thomas, girlfriend of Wal-Mart shooting victim #JohnCrawford, was killed in a car crash http://t.co/ZTYFpyP7YF http://ift.tt/1rLRsOm

— The Root (@TheRoot) January 2, 2015

One witness, who was one of the first to respond to the scene, said Thomas appeared to be still breathing, and he did what he could to help her by covering her with a towel. In his own words:

“I tried to use a towel to cover her up, but the police… and the ambulance was already here.”

It is uncertain at this point whether Thomas and Bailey were wearing seat belts.

John Crawford’s girlfriend made several public appearances after the shooting death of her boyfriend. She was at the scene when the shooting took place. According to her, she was repeatedly questioned by the police for hours after the shooting and was not told of his death until much later.

The Crawford incident happened on August 5 at a Walmart store where Crawford had picked up an air rifle from the shelf and began toting it around the store. Someone made a call to 911 about an armed man brandishing a firearm. According to the responding police officers, they opened fired after Crawford ignored repeated orders to drop the weapon and proceeded to point the weapon at them. Some witnesses, though, dispute the accounts and claimed he was shot immediately with very little warning given.

After the shooting, Thomas has appeared in several news interviews telling her version of the events and demanded that the police officers involved be held accountable.

Amid news that John Crawford’s girlfriend has died, some are calling the incident a conspiracy theory, and that she was murdered since Crawford’s family is in the middle of filing a civil suit and she planned on testifying as a witness.

John Crawford’s Girlfriend Killed In Auto Collision