A 24-year-old man has pleaded guilty to the death of a 70-year-old doctor from Akron after stealing an Amazon van and fleeing from police in 2023, according to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office.
On Dec. 6, 2023, Jalen Jackson approached a 55-year-old Amazon worker near Summit Park Road and Cleveland Heights Boulevard at gunpoint and threatened to shoot him.
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Jackson then got into the worker's van and fled the scene. The Amazon driver called Cleveland Heights Police, who later saw Jackson driving the van and attempted a traffic stop, the prosecutor's office said.
He fled from police and got onto I-90, going in the wrong direction. The chase ended when the van crashed into the vehicle belonging to Dr. Curtis Birchall at more than 100 mph. Birchall was pronounced dead at the scene.
Cleveland Heights Police arrested Jackson after a brief foot pursuit, the prosecutor's office said.
On Monday, Jason pleaded guilty to the following charges:
- One count of Involuntary Manslaughter
- One count of Aggravated Robbery
- One count of Discharge of a Firearm On or Near Prohibited Premises
- One count of Failure to Comply with an Order or Signal of a Police Officer
- One count of Having Weapons While Under Disability
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Additionally, Jackson pleaded guilty in two unrelated cases, the prosecutor's office said. He will be sentenced on April 30.
Jackson faces 26 to 34 years in prison with no early release, the prosecutor's office said.
