by An incident that shocked the Lawncrest area of Philly unfolded on Thursday night when a routine traffic stop took a dangerous turn. A driver struck a police officer with a car, prompting the officer to fire shots at the vehicle, ultimately resulting in the driver’s death. The driver has since been identified as Curtis Wallace, a 36-year-old resident of the area.
The unsettling chain of events began around 7 p.m. when a 25th District officer attempted to pull over a vehicle at F Street and Roosevelt Boulevard. Wallace, behind the wheel of the car, refused to stop and fled north towards Adams and Newtown Avenues. In a desperate attempt to assist the officer, three civilians tried to block Wallace’s path.
As Wallace found himself trapped near the Adams Avenue Bridge, he reversed his car and collided with the officer’s patrol car. When the officer approached the vehicle, Wallace reportedly accelerated, striking the officer and pinning him against a nearby brick wall. In a moment of self-defense, the officer discharged several rounds at the car.
Following the altercation, a passenger in Wallace’s car attempted to escape but was apprehended by onlookers. Wallace managed to escape the scene, driving a short distance before being discovered in an alley on the 200 block of Benner Street. He was found with multiple gunshot wounds and was rushed to Einstein Medical Center, where he was tragically pronounced dead.
The injured officer was also taken to the medical center for treatment of leg injuries and has since been released. As investigations continue, Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel assured the public that footage from the officer’s body camera and surveillance cameras in the area will be crucial in understanding the sequence of events leading up to the fatal outcome.
