AOMORI (TR) – A missing man and woman died after their vehicle plunged off a cliff in the town of Happo during a chase by police on Sunday, police said, reports Fuji News Network (June 10).
According to police, the two deceased persons are Masatoshi Ikejima, a 39-year-old man living in Akita City, and Asami Sato, a 32-year-old resident of Noshiro City.
At around 5:20 p.m., officers in a patrol car spotted Ikejima’s vehicle in a parking lot of a rest area along a National Route 101. After the car blared its siren, Ikejima refused to halt and a chase ensured.
About 1.5 kilometers away, Ikejima’s vehicle plunged off a cliff, falling 40 meters. The bodies of both Ikejima and Sato were later retrieved from the vehicle, police said.
Ikejima and Sato, whose families reported them missing earlier that day, are believed to have been in a relationship at one point. About one week ago, she consulted with the Noshiro Police Station about a problem between them.
“We send our condolences,” a representative of the Aomori Prefectural Police was quoted. “An investigation is underway into the protocol undertaken in the chase.”
