Theft suspect leads police on chase, crashes into Metro bus
SEATTLE -- A wanted car thief led police on a brief chase before crashing into a pair of Metro buses in the University District.
The chase started Friday afternoon just before 4:20 p.m. when officers spotted a man wanted for felony theft. The man was driving southbound on Roosevelt Way NE at NE 55th Street in a blue Chevy Blazer, according to police.
The officers hit their lights, but instead of pulling over, the man sped away into oncoming traffic. Continuing on, he cut through a restaurant parking lot at 50th and University way before crashing into two buses and a station wagon.
The man jumped out of his car and took off on foot, but police were able to nab him in the 4100 block of 15th Avenue. He was arrested without incident.
Nobody was injured in the station wagon, but three people on board one of the buses were taken by ambulance to Harborview Medical Center with non life-threatening injuries.
The suspected thief was also taken to the hospital, but he wasn't seriously injured.
Once he's released, the man will be booked into King County Jail on multiple charges, including felony theft, felony eluding, hit and run, obstructing police and an active DUI warrant out of Auburn.
One of the buses involved in the crash was immobilized and blocked traffic for more than two hours.
The chase started Friday afternoon just before 4:20 p.m. when officers spotted a man wanted for felony theft. The man was driving southbound on Roosevelt Way NE at NE 55th Street in a blue Chevy Blazer, according to police.
The officers hit their lights, but instead of pulling over, the man sped away into oncoming traffic. Continuing on, he cut through a restaurant parking lot at 50th and University way before crashing into two buses and a station wagon.
The man jumped out of his car and took off on foot, but police were able to nab him in the 4100 block of 15th Avenue. He was arrested without incident.
Nobody was injured in the station wagon, but three people on board one of the buses were taken by ambulance to Harborview Medical Center with non life-threatening injuries.
The suspected thief was also taken to the hospital, but he wasn't seriously injured.
Once he's released, the man will be booked into King County Jail on multiple charges, including felony theft, felony eluding, hit and run, obstructing police and an active DUI warrant out of Auburn.
One of the buses involved in the crash was immobilized and blocked traffic for more than two hours.
