An Oklahoma City police officer was charged with a misdemeanor in connection with a crash that killed a woman late last year.

Investigators said 79-year-old Marinan Reese was attempting to turn left onto a crossing street when Officer Bryant Holloway’s patrol car slammed into her vehicle.

Court documents show the officer was pursuing a speeding driver at nearly 80 mph with his flashing lights off and his siren not activated when he crashed into the woman.

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The posted speed limit at the crash scene is 40 mph, and police said Holloway slammed on his brakes and slowed down to about 60 mph at the time of the collision.

Court documents show Holloway – who was charged with negligent homicide – was trying to catch up to a driver traveling about 55 mph, or 15 mph over the posted speed limit.

Bill Citty, chief of Oklahoma City Police, said state law and department policy permits officers to drive above the speed limit without flashing lights or sirens, but he agrees Holloway was driving too fast.

The chief said his department is considering policy changes to limit those high-speed pursuits.

“We feel like there’s enough of an issue there, and that we’re probably going to have to be a little bit more definitive in guiding our officers as to what their speeds will be in certain circumstances,” Citty said.

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Holloway has been on administrative leave since the Dec. 12 crash.

Watch this video report posted online by KFOR-TV: