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Wheeling Police Officer On Paid Leave After Fatal Accident

(CBS) -- A Wheeling Police officer is on paid leave as the Lake County Major Crash Assistance Team investigates a fatal crash yesterday, reports WBBM's Nancy Harty.

The officer is a 22-year veteran of the force, according to Wheeling Deputy Police Chief Todd Wolff.

He says the officer was attempting to catch up to a vehicle that committed a traffic offense on McHenry Road near West Cedar Run when he hit and killed a 20-year-old Fredi Morales. Wolff says the officer did not have his lights and sirens on as he was not in a pursuit.

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"A pursuit when you are actively engaged with a vehicle which is refusing to stop," he said. "Catching up to a vehicle as you see a traffic violation, the vehicle passes you and you need a few seconds or a minute to turn around and probably catch up to the vehicle to activate your emergency equipment."

He says Morales was wearing dark clothing as he ran across the dimly lit road at 5:42 a.m. Wolff says the department's thoughts and prayers go out to Morales' family.

Placing an officer on paid administrative leave is department policy and not some sign of discipline, Wolff says.

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