Crash after drive-away leads to injuries

7/28/2012

A car that drove away from a Toledo police traffic stop struck three other vehicles Saturday at Bancroft Street and Detroit Avenue, leaving at least two people injured.

No one was believed to be seriously injured.

Four people were expected to be charged, said Sgt. Joe Heffernan, police spokesman.

Police just before 9:30 p.m. pulled over a Dodge Stratus at Ashland Avenue and Bancroft. Officers saw the four people in the car passing something around. Within a minute, though, the car sped away westbound on Bancroft, leaving officers standing in the street.

As the Stratus approached Detroit, it sideswiped a Hyundai and a sport-utility vehicle and rear-ended a Ford Focus. The Stratus stopped when its air bags deployed at Bancroft and Detroit.

The crashes occurred “right in front of my eyes,” Sergeant Heffernan said. He happened to be at the intersection, working a special enforcement detail. A front-seat passenger in the Stratus ran, and Sergeant Heffernan followed, caught, and handcuffed the man.

A passenger in the Focus and at least one person from the Stratus were taken to hospitals. Police founded suspected crack cocaine in the Stratus.

After the Stratus drove away from the traffic stop, officers got back in their squad car and followed. But there was no chase, Sergeant Heffernan said, because officers saw that traffic volume and the number of stop lights would not allow a safe pursuit.