PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Authorities are searching for the driver of a car involved in a series of crashes in Northeast Philadelphia Friday night that injured two people, including a police officer.
It started around 11 p.m. Police were trying to break up a large group of cars meeting near Bustleton and Castor avenues when they noticed a gray 2020 Nissan Altima that had been reported stolen out of Lower Moreland Township and tried to stop it. That’s when the car took off, drove over a median on Roosevelt Boulevard near C Street, then struck two unoccupied cars — a police vehicle and a Gold Chevy Malibu.
The person in the stolen Altima continued on 9th Street and West Erie Avenue, where a Gold Chevy Equinox struck an unmarked police car, which then flung into a light pole and caught fire.
The officers were able to get out before the car burst into flames but one was taken to a hospital with facial fractures and lacerations. That officer has since been released. The driver of the Chevy was also taken to a hospital for treatment and is expected to be OK.
The driver of the stolen Nissan then took off. Officials are searching for both the driver and the car. They ask anyone with information to call in with a tip at 215-686-8477.