The following report by Team 4 Investigator Paul Van Osdol first aired on Channel 4 Action News at 5 p.m. on Dec. 19, 2005.

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Richard Rutherford is at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, recovering from injuries from the crash that killed a passenger in his car on Sunday.

Richard Rutherford was one of three key figures in perhaps the most notorious local murder case in recent history.

His testimony put two men on death row.

Channel 4 Action News informed local police that Rutherford was the same man involved in the fatal police chase on Sunday.

Twenty-five years ago, he was called "Ricky" -- a runaway from Garfield who ended up testifying in one of the region's most sensational murder cases.

Just last July, Rutherford, 41, of Garfield, testified in the resentencing of John Travaglia.

In 1979, Rutherford rode along with Travaglia and John Lesko when they went on a killing spree that included the murder of Apollo police Officer Leonard Miller.

Rutherford said he met the pair in a bar and nearly became a victim himself.

"They told me I was their hostage when the car broke down," said Rutherford in July.

Rutherford testified how Lesko and Travaglia beat and terrorized William Nichols -- then dumped him in a lake in Indiana County.

He also testified he crouched in the back seat when Travaglia pulled out a gun and shot Miller.

A quarter century later, Rutherford found it difficult to talk about the infamous murder spree.

"I really don't want to talk to anybody right now, OK?" said Rutherford.

On Sunday, Rutherford was the driver and police were chasing him.

Police started following Rutherford in Hazelwood when, they said, he was seen driving erratically.

They tried to stop him at an intersection in Greenfield, but, police said, Rutherford took off down the hill and ended up running a stop sign and crashing into a minivan on Greenfield Road.

Killed in the accident was Rutherford's passenger, 38-year-old Semone Byers, a convicted prostitute.

Police said Rutherford will likely face homicide by vehicle charges. Their investigation of the accident is continuing.

Rutherford's testimony helped get Travaglia the death penalty.

Even though he admitted to participating in at least one death, Rutherford did not face homicide charges, in part because he was a juvenile.