Five people were injured Saturday evening in a head-on crash caused by a suspected car thief fleeing Aurora police officers.
The suspect, who was driving a 2000 Dodge Ram, led Aurora officers on a chase across the Denver area that ended in Glendale with a crash, according to a news release from the Colorado State Patrol.
Troopers responded to that crash at 6:27 p.m., according to the agency.
Earlier in that chase, the driver struck another vehicle near the intersection of East Florida Avenue and South Willow Street in Denver, state patrol officials said.
No injuries were reported in that first crash, but the collision damaged the suspect’s hood and caused it to later fly up as the chase continued, blocking the driver’s view, according to the agency.
That’s when the driver swerved into oncoming traffic and collided head-on with a Nissan Leaf at South Cherry Street and South Leetsdale Drive, state patrol officials said.
Paramedics took the driver and three passengers inside the Nissan to the hospital, at least one of whom with serious injuries, officials said. The suspect was arrested and taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The Colorado State Patrol Vehicular Crimes Unit is investigating the crash.
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