Story Published:
Mar 23, 2005 at 11:35 AM PST
Story Updated:
Jul 24, 2009 at 10:52 AM PST
SHORELINE - A car chase in which an angry driver pursued his ex-girlfriend's pickup truck along a main highway ended Wednesday afternoon in a seven-vehicle crash that injured five people, a King County sheriff's spokesman said.
Police are calling it a case of domestic violence, turned to road rage.
Police say 43-year-old Elizabeth Campo crossed the center lane on Aurora Avenue, after her estranged 39-year-old boyfriend Michael Testa rammed her vehicle from behind.
Witnesses say that happened for several blocks, until Campo lost control of her pick-up and collided into oncoming traffic. The force of the accident turned the Ford truck she was driving up on its side.
"The guy was just trying to cut her off and stop her," said witness Scott Bradley. "You could tell he was road raging, screaming out his window at her and chasing her all around and she was trying to get away from him."
Police say witnesses also said Testa was pointing a gun at the woman at times. Police found a BB rifle in the back seat of his truck.
Witnesses added that Testa was screaming and cursing at the woman as she lay seriously injured inside the truck.
Campo's family visited her in the hospital after the accident, and her sister Mary spoke exclusively to KOMO 4 News.
"Elizabeth has a daughter with the boyfriend that raced her down," Mary explained. "Tonight she's immobilized with broken arms, broken legs, a broken jaw...we don't know what the outcome will be from that."
Mary said her sister was in serious condition, along with another driver involved in the accident.
After taking statements from witnesses, police believe the chase started after the two had an argument. The fight continued for about 10 blocks on Aurora Avenue, and ended with the multiple car collision.
"She just got hooked up with the wrong guy, and he took her down the wrong path and it was a path she couldn't get out because she loved the guy," Mary said.
Police arrested Testa and he was being held at the King County Jail for investigation of several counts of vehicular assault, second-degree assault-domestic violence, "driving like a fool and whatever else we can think of," Urquhart said.
Mary wants her sister's ex-boyfriend to know one thing about the situation "this guy belongs behind bars, he should stay there. If she doesn't make it through this I hope justice should be served on that part."
Police say Testa is a convicted felon.
Five other vehicles were involved in the wreck, four of them occupied. The most seriously injured was a 59-year-old Everett woman driving a 2004 Hyundai. She was taken to Harborview Medical Center.
Other persons injured included a 43-year-old Edmonds man, and a 21-year-old Seattle man. Both were transported to Northwest Hospital for treatment of their injuries. A 78 year-old Edmonds man was treated at the scene.