ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Rochester police say a suspect being pursued by officers through downtown Rochester early Friday morning is responsible for causing a crash that killed another driver.

Police say Kendre Preston, 27, is charged with second-degree manslaughter, second-degree vehicular manslaughter, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and driving while intoxicated. A gun painted to look like a toy gun, fentanyl and suboxone were also found in Preston's vehicle, according to police.

During a news conference on Friday, RPD Interim Chief David Smith said the incident began with a ShotSpotter alert on Dewey Avenue shortly before 2 a.m. An officer at an unrelated traffic stop nearby reported hearing gunshots and seeing a silver Jeep drive past him at a high rate of speed.

The interim chief says the Jeep was then spotted by city cameras heading across the Driving Park bridge. Moments later, another ShotSpotter activation took place on Avenue A, according to police. Officers say they were able to locate Preston's vehicle in the area of Joseph Avenue and Wilkins Street. When they tried to stop the vehicle, police say Preston took off.

The pursuit headed into downtown Rochester, traveling westbound along East Main Street. According to officers, that's when Preston traveled through a red light at the intersection of East Main Street and St. Paul Street, striking another vehicle that had a green light.

Investigators say the driver of the other vehicle, Benji Martinez, 46, died at the scene. They say Preston was taken to Strong Memorial Hospital, where he remains with non-life threatening injuries. He will be arraigned at a later time, according to police.

According to the RPD, the pursuit lasted approximately three minutes and officers were reported to be around 200 yards behind Preston at the time of the crash. Police say Preston was traveling at a high rate of speed when his vehicle struck that of the other driver.

Police say Preston is currently on parole for criminal possession of a weapon in 2017. He was sentenced to six years in prison but was paroled in January 2021. Police say he was returned to jail in September 2021 for violating parole, but was released again in November 2021. 

The Rochester Police Department will be conducting an internal investigation into this incident in cooperation with the New York State Office of the Attorney General. Video evidence, including body-worn camera video, will be released as soon as possible, police say.