IMPD: 2 overnight police chases lead to arrests, injuries
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Two Indianapolis police chases in an 8-hour span led to two arrests, multiple people injured, and at least four damaged vehicles.
Wednesday night chase ends with crash, injuries
At around 8 p.m. Wednesday, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers started pursuing a Mazda SUV for reckless driving on East 42nd Street.
The Mazda ran a red light at 42nd Street and Arlington Avenue and entered the northbound lanes of Arlington Avenue, where it was hit by an oncoming Chevrolet SUV, IMPD said in a statement Thursday.
After being struck by the Chevrolet, the Mazda crashed head-on into a Dodge minivan, according to IMPD.
The driver of the Mazda, identified by police as Chad Wood, was the only person in the vehicle. He was taken to an Indianapolis hospital with possible serious injuries but was reported to be stable.
Three other people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
“Wood was arrested for three active warrants out of Boone, Hamilton, and Marion Counties, in addition to reckless driving and resisting law enforcement by vehicle,” IMPD said.
Thursday morning pursuit starts with sleeping driver, ends on interstate
A second police chase began at around 3:30 a.m. when IMPD officers were called to a report of a black Dodge Charger on the median at East 10th Street and Shadeland Avenue.
Police arrived and found the Dodge Charger over the median, facing oncoming traffic. The driver, Benjamin Farr, was asleep at the wheel, according to IMPD.
Officers used their patrol cars to block the Charger in an attempt to keep it from hitting other vehicles.
After the officers woke Farr up, he started ramming the Dodge into police cars in an attempt to leave the scene, IMPD says.
Farr managed to drive away from the officers and a chase began. Farr got out of the car near 21st Street and Franklin Road and tried to run away.
“The driver fled from the vehicle near 21st Street and Franklin Road. After a short foot pursuit, the driver ran onto the interstate and was taken into custody for suspected DUI,” IMPD said.
Farr was taken to an Indianapolis hospital for a blood draw, which is standard police procedure for drunk driving investigations.
Police were still looking into both incidents. As of 8:30 a.m., formal charges had not been filed in either case.
