Man charged with murder after pregnant mother dies in west Wichita wreck
A 37-year-old Wichita man who allegedly caused a multi-vehicle wreck Tuesday that claimed the life of a 22-year-old pregnant mother has been charged with murder, court records show.
Javan Jermaine Ervin had a first appearance in court Friday and was met with eight charges: first-degree murder, aggravated battery, failure to stop at an accident that resulted in a death, driving with a suspended license and two counts of fleeing and eluding, and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon.
He has five prior convictions from 2004 to 2009 in Sedgwick County for robbery and aggravated battery, according to Kansas Department of Corrections records. He was released from parole in June, records show.
Court records show Ervin has been unemployed for six months, after previously working for a construction company. He is being held on a $500,000 bond and scheduled to next appear in court on Thursday, records show.
Ervin was arrested shortly after a crash around 5 p.m. Tuesday where he allegedly ran a red light at the intersection of Central and Ridge, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol. He allegedly collided with three vehicles, resulting in the death of Samantha Lee Russell.
The Wichita woman, who was 33-weeks pregnant, died around 7 p.m. at Wesley Medical Center, the KHP reported. Before her death, doctors were able to successfully deliver her son, Mac. He survived the premature delivery and remains hospitalized, his father and the police department said Wednesday.
Police officers began chasing Ervin after he was seen leaving a hotel in the 7500 block of West Taft with a 34-year-old parolee suspected of robbing someone at gunpoint. Police, in the news release, said the robbery suspect, Jamie Chavez of Wichita, was caught and “taken into custody” near Maple and Ridge.
But Ervin drove off and sped away northbound on Ridge, police said.
Police said a supervisor called off the chase less than one minute before Ervin wrecked.
Ervin’s Dodge Ram slammed into a Chevrolet Silverado truck that was westbound on Central, which “caused the driver side rear wheels & tires to detach from the vehicle,” the KHP report says.
The Dodge then hit two more vehicles that were waiting in the left turn lane — a Jeep Compass and Russell’s Mazda — before flipping onto its top and stopping in the northbound lanes of Ridge, according to the KHP report.
Ervin ran away from the crash site but was captured and arrested “a short time later,” police said in the news release.
A 73-year-old Wichita woman driving the Jeep Compass was taken to the hospital after complaining of pain, the KHP said.
Russell was the only fatal injury.
A GoFundMe to support the Russell family had raised more than $86,000 of the $75,000 goal. Her husband, Brandon, said on Facebook on Friday that his wife’s funeral was set for Saturday.
“Thank you everyone for all the support and donations,” he wrote. “Mac will have a beautiful and lovely life because of the generosity and support we have received. Sammy would not have wanted everyone attending her funeral to wear dark clothes. She was too happy. She would have wanted bright happy clothes so while we are wearing these bright happy clothes, let us remember the good times and make this day happy and bright for her... not sad and depressing.”
Contributing: Amy Renee Leiker with The Eagle