Scott Daniel Dircksen, 20, of Troy, was the driver of the truck and was killed in the wreck. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.
"Tragic consequences as a result of the driver's decision not to stop," said Dept. Chief Mark Whittaker of the Darke County Sherrif's Office. "If the driver would have stopped in the beginning, we wouldn't have had the tragic results we have today."
The pursuit began around 2:30 a.m.when the deputy saw Dircksen's red truck swerve off the roadway into a ditch and return to the road. The deputy attempted to stop the truck but the vehicle sped off. Deputies say the truck belonged to a relative of Dircksen.
The truck headed eastbound on Horatio-Harris Creek Road until crossed Ohio 721 into Miami County where it went straight off of a small driveway of a church, hit a tree and flipped, killing Dircksen.
Darke County deputies were accompanying Miami County sheriff's deputies at the scene of the crash investigation. The Miami County Coroner was called to the crash scene and Dircksen's body was taken to the Montgomery County Coroner's Office where an official autopsy will be performed.
The crash remains under investigation. Deputies said Dircksen did not have a driver's license and they are investigating whether drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash.
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