A high speed pursuit in Phoenix ended with the driver of a Corvette crashing into a traffic signal pole after an undercover officer rammed him with an SUV. According to NBC News 12 [1], police stated that shots were fired and the condition of the driver was unknown at the scene, but the driver was later pronounced dead. This driver lead police on a wild chase across freeways, sometimes even driving on the wrong side of the road. Police have stated that the driver was a suspect in an Ahwatukee Foothills murder.
News choppers were on the scene around 1:30PM Wednesday, and were able to keep up with the high speed chase. As the pursuit continued the driver of the Corvette wove in and out of traffic, often going the wrong direction in traffic. As the driver navigated the freeway, he eventually exited I-17 and headed on to surface streets in the north Phoenix area. As the driver sped through the streets, he ended up driving on the wrong side of the road narrowly missing oncoming traffic.
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Photos Captured From 12 News
As the driver hesitated while attempting to go through an intersection, an undercover officer in an SUV collided with the yellow C6 sending it flying into a traffic signal pole. The violent collision resulted in the deployment of airbags in the Corvette and then law enforcement began to gather around the site of the crash.
The driver of the SUV involved in the collision was a law enforcement professional, as he exited the vehicle and approached the Corvette with a weapon drawn. Moments after the collision law enforcement vehicles and officers surrounded the suspect. Once the scene was secured, officers removed the suspect from the vehicle. It is still unclear whether the fatal gunshot was from an officer’s weapon, or self-inflicted.
After the driver was pulled away from the remains of the Corvette, the car erupted into flames. With gunfire, actual fire, and a high speed pursuit this was one of the wildest police chases in recent history.
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Photos Captured From News 12