The identity of the young man killed in a car crash on Western Avenue has been released.
25-year-old Billy Webb Yager of Albany was killed when the car he was in fled from a traffic stop.
Police say a patrol officer initiated the traffic stop on Western Avenue and Partridge Street, when the driver, now identified as 23-year-old Terrance Kelly of Albany, fled as officers approached.
Albany Police officer Steve Smith spoke on the exact details of the incident.
"Patrol officers attempted to stop the vehicle on Western Avenue near Partridge Street. The vehicle stopped, the two officers walked up to the vehicle, at which point, the driver sped off."
Kelly lost control of the vehicle and crashed in the area of Western and Lennox Avenues, resulting in the death of Yager, and non-life threatening injuries for Kelly and the front seat passenger.
Brian Mollnow, a friend of Yager, says he remembers his friend fondly.
"He's just a really great person, very loving, very caring, always knew how to have fun, very artistic."
He adds that his friend did not deserve this.
"I just feel like it's unfair; from someone's reckless decision that someone that's in the back seat, something that's not even in his control, he was just taken for it."
Police say alcohol does appear to be a factor, and Kelly has been charged with D.W.I.
He has also been arrested on a parole warrant and more charges stemming from the crash will be forthcoming.
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