The driver rammed a vehicle as it fled from deputies.
The stolen car traveled onto I-70 East at high speed and it nearly struck one of two Huber Heights cruisers that got onto the highway to intercept it, the sergeant said.
The officers tried to catch up to the BMW, but it had already merged to the offramp for state Route 201, also known as Brandt Pike, where it was headed south. One officer could not make it to the ramp in time; the second officer made it onto Brandt Pike but was involved in a crash with an unrelated vehicle, police said.
The officer was taken to a local hospital for minor injuries. The occupants of the other vehicle were evaluated at the scene and released.
“Moments later after that crash, we were advised that the suspect vehicle ended up crashing,” Fosnight said.
Credit: Marshall Jobes
When additional officers responded to assist the officer involved in the crash on Brandt Pike near I-70, the BMW was spotted traveling south at high speed on Brandt Pike near Leyden Lane.
“At that time, no cruisers were behind it and had not been since the suspect exited I-70,” Fosnight said.
Officers turned around as the suspect vehicle was headed south and saw it crash into four vehicles near Chambersburg Road. The BMW driver immediately got out of the car and ran away before several officers apprehended him in the parking lot of a nearby business, the sergeant said.
“As all of the occupants from the involved vehicles were attempting to exit their crashed vehicles, the suspect vehicle burst into flames,” Fosnight said.
First responders reported seeing a large plume of heavy smoke while on the way to the crash, and video from a bystander shows flames high in the air.
“Passersby assisted in helping the occupants escape the fire,” Fosnight said.
However, the driver of a Ford F-150 pickup truck suffered third-degree burns to the majority of his body and is in critical condition at Miami Valley Hospital.
The driver of a Honda sedan who suffered second-degree burns to his leg also was taken to Miami Valley Hospital, and the driver of a vehicle in the crash that did not catch fire was taken to Kettering Health Huber - Emergency Center along with a child passenger for treatment of minor injuries.
The driver of the BMW was taken to Miami Valley Hospital with minor injuries. His passenger also went to Miami Valley Hospital, but with second-degree burns on her body in addition to minor injuries from the crash.
The crash involving the officer will be investigated separately from the fiery crash, which will be handled by Huber Heights detectives and the crash investigation team.
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