0 SUV collides into another vehicle, Metro buses after police chase in U-District

SEATTLE - A stolen sport utility vehicle slammed into another vehicle and Metro buses after a police chase in the University District on Friday afternoon, police said.

According to the Seattle Police Department, an officer on patrol spotted a felony theft suspect in a blue Chevy Blazer from an earlier incident. He was traveling southbound on Roosevelt Way Northeast at Northeast 55th Street.

Officers began following the suspect and called additional units, police said.

When officers got to Northeast 50th Street and Roosevelt Way Northeast, they turned their lights on but the suspect failed to stop for them.

The suspect sped up and drove into oncoming traffic, and officers stopped their pursuit.

According to authorities, the suspect drove through a restaurant parking lot and continued to travel southbound on University Way Northeast and into oncoming traffic.

When the suspect got to the intersection of Northeast 45th Street and University Way, the SUV collided into two Metro buses and a blue Saturn station wagon.

After the collision, the suspect got out of his vehicle and fled the scene on foot, police said. Officers pursued after him and apprehended the suspect in the 4100 block of 15th Avenue Northeast. He was taken into custody without further incident, according to the police department.

No one in the station wagon was injured, but three people on the buses were taken to Harborview Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.

The suspect was taken to an area hospital for treatment on his non-life threatening injuries, where he is currently being guarded by police.

According to police, upon completion of his treatment, the man will be booked into the King County Jail on multiple charges. These include felony theft, felony eluding, auto theft, hit-and-run collision, obstructing a police officer and an active DUI arrest warrant out of Auburn.

Chopper 7 flew over the scene and showed at least one person being put into an ambulance.

KIRO 7’s Gary Horcher was on scene and spoke with a passenger, Westley Lashley, who was on board during the crash.

“I just felt the, the push, of whatever it was. I was just sitting there, I had no idea what happened,” Lashley said. “I look right, I see a cop running down the street, I have no idea why.”

Julie Cheek, an eyewitness, told KIRO 7 that the collision sounded like a thunder clap.

“All of the sudden, I hear a big boom. And I look over, and there’s smoke coming from the car, and see a guy running and a cop running after him,” said Cheek.

This incident remains as an active and ongoing investigation.