Police chase ends in wreck in Wilmington; 3 hurt

WILMINGTON -- A police chase of a stolen car Tuesday night ended when the stolen vehicle crashed into a city firetruck at 11th and Washington streets in Wilmington, police said. Three injured people were taken to hospitals.

After the crash near the YMCA about 8 p.m., the driver attempted to run away, witnesses told The News Journal.

Officers used a stun gun to subdue the driver, said Cpl. Jamaine Crawford, a police spokesman.

Francis Thornton came out of the YMCA into the chaos.

"I happen to be coming out to take a smoke, and I left the Y and go to this corner and baaam," Thornton said. "I saw that car coming real fast and then when I heard the crash, I looked up and the firetruck was coming through there."

He said the car's driver was caught by officers on Delaware Avenue.

"State and county police were chasing the vehicle. At the same time, there were about four or five different fire alarms going off in the area," said Wilmington Fire Chief Anthony Goode, who was at the crash scene with more than a dozen other law enforcement and fire officials.

"Preliminary information we received so far were Wilmington police were involved in a pursuit with this vehicle," Goode said. "They broke off the chase and when it entered into the county, the county police and state police picked up the chase. And then the chase … ended up back here in the city, coming off I-95."

He said a firefighter, the car's driver and passenger were taken to area hospitals.

Crawford said more information would be available Wednesday, but as of noon there was no update from police.

Goode said the collision left the stolen car with a small fire in the engine compartment, but firefighters used extinguishers to douse the flames.

The ladder truck suffered what appeared to be moderate damage to the rear below the tiller's compartment and a broken window. A piece of the car body paneling appeared to be stuck in a rear wheel of the ladder truck.

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