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Police: Fleeing felon drove car that killed officer

Philadelphia police say the driver of a sports car that slammed into a patrol vehicle in Port Richmond and killed an officer was a convicted felon from Levittown with illegal drugs in his pockets.

Fellow police officers salute as the immediate family of Philadelphia Police Sgt. Timothy Simpson, 46, of the 24th District, exits Temple hospital this afternoon. (Joseph Kaczmarek/For the Daily News)
Fellow police officers salute as the immediate family of Philadelphia Police Sgt. Timothy Simpson, 46, of the 24th District, exits Temple hospital this afternoon. (Joseph Kaczmarek/For the Daily News)Read more

Philadelphia police say the driver of a sports car that slammed into a patrol vehicle in Port Richmond and killed an officer was a convicted felon from Levittown with illegal drugs in his pockets.

Sgt. Timothy Simpson, 46, died at Temple University Hospital, where he had been rushed in critical condition following the 10:30 p.m. collision at Aramingo and Allegheny avenues.

Simpson, whose former partner Sgt. Stephen Liczbinski was gunned down in May following a bank robbery, is the fourth member of the force to die on the job this year.

Simpson was responding to a robbery call when his police cruiser was slammed on the passenger's side by a Chevrolet Camaro driven by William Foster, 41, of Levittown.

Foster, who has a long arrest record, was being chased by another patrol car after running a red light before the crash, police said at a late-morning news conference.

The violent crash spun the cruiser into a nearby building and slammed the other car into a light stand.

The two vehicles were demolished, and furious efforts by rescuers were needed to pull the officer from his mangled squad car, and the two civilians from the other vehicle.

Simpson was pronounced dead at Temple University Hospital at 11:55 p.m.

Just yesterday, he was awarded superintendant of the month by his commanding officer in the 24th District, according to police spokesman Lt. Frank Vanore.

Foster was in the city buying illegal drugs, and three packets of heroin fell out of his pocket at the accident scene, police said at the news conference.

After being treated at a hospital for a gash to his forehead, Foster was in custody at police headquarters this morning.

He was on probation for a theft charge outside the city and was driving despite having his license suspended, police said.

"There is no reason in the world this person should have been out on the street," said Deputy Commissioner William Blackburn.

Almost immediately after word of the collision surfaced, scores of officers, police brass and city officials - including Mayor Nutter and Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey - made their way to Temple to grieve and comfort Simpson's wife, Cathy, their 11-year-old daughter and 15-year-old twins, a son and daughter.

Simpson's other honors included a heroism award, four merit awards and a letter of commendation.

His brother, Terry, is an officer on the SWAT team.

A memorial began to form at the accident scene this morning, as people placed flowers, candles and a teddy bear in a police uniform.

Foster was charged with homicide by vehicle, driving under the influence, third-degree homicide, simple assault, eluding police, and numerous drug charges.

The DUI charge was based on Foster's demeanor and the smell of alcohol on his breath, pending the results of blood tests to determine if any drugs were also in Foster's system, police said.

Simpson was briefly in the public eye in May when he formally arrested an accused bank robber wanted in connection with the death of his former partner and friend, Sgt. Stephen Liczbinski.

Eric DeShawn Floyd was captured in a boarded up Kingsessing rowhouse following a five-day manhunt.

Following police tradition, Simpson placed Liczbinski's handcuffs on Floyd before leading him to a 24th district police wagon. Police said Floyd, 33, of North Philadelphia, later confessed to the robbery of the Bank of America branch inside a ShopRite on Aramingo Avenue, but denied shooting Liczbinski.

Simpson's death in the fatal crash came a little more than two months after Officer Isabel Nazario killed in an accident with a stolen sports-utility vehicle in West Philadelphia. The SUV was driven by a 16-year-old boy who was later charged with third-degree murder.

That crash, at 39th and Wallace Streets on Sept. 5, produced a similar outpouring by police, officials and reporters, but on that occasion at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

This year has been one of the deadliest on record for the department.

It began with the May 3 shooting of Sgt. Stephen Liczbinski who was gunned down at Almond and Schiller Streets while confronting three suspects who had just pulled off a bankjob at a Port Richmond shopping center.

That murder was followed by Nazario's death, and the Sept. 23 point-blank shooting of Officer Patrick McDonald as he pursued a suspect near 17th and Dauphin Streets in North Philadelphia.