Seven West Palm Beach Officers Charged After Deadly High-Speed Chase
A high-speed police pursuit in Florida that caused a collision claimed the lives of a pregnant woman and her mother, leading to criminal charges against seven West Palm Beach officers.
On July 30, 2024, 23-year-old Neoni Copeland fled from West Palm Beach police after failing to stop for a traffic violation. Officers pursued him onto I-95 at speeds exceeding 108 miles per hour, with both marked and unmarked units—including Officer Austin Danielovich and Officer Brandan Stedfelt—joining the chase, according to local reports.
The pursuit ended when Copeland’s car struck a Toyota Corolla at the intersection of North Congress Avenue and Meadows Boulevard in Boynton Beach around 8:10 p.m.
Inside the Corolla were 27-year-old Jenice Woods, who was two months pregnant, and her mother, 57-year-old Marcia Pochette. Both women were killed instantly. Copeland fled on foot but was apprehended by Boynton Beach police approximately 10 minutes later, telling officers he ran because he was scared of the chase. He was treated for minor injuries and booked on two counts of leaving the scene of a fatal crash and one count of resisting without violence.
In the immediate aftermath, neither Copeland nor the pursuing officers stopped to render aid, according to dashcam footage and court documents reviewed by local outlets. Instead, the police vehicles reportedly passed the wreckage without notifying dispatch or providing medical assistance.
On June 4, 2025, seven West Palm Beach officers surrendered to face charges stemming from the incident. Officer Austin Danielovich, Pierre Etienne, and Christopher Rekdahl each face two counts of leaving the scene of a crash involving death—a first-degree felony—and one count of official misconduct, a third-degree felony. These charges carry a combined penalty of up to 65 years in prison. Officers Michael Borgen, William Loayza, Brandan Stedfelt, and Darien Thomas face single counts of official misconduct, punishable by up to five years in prison.
Palm Beach State Attorney Alexcia Cox described the officers’ actions as “a disturbing betrayal of the public trust,” emphasizing that “no one is above the law.
