Woman arrested after 100+ mph chase ends in Indio crash
A car sought for taking police on a high-speed chase down I-10 crashed into an SUV and then into a retaining wall in Indio, police say. The driver that was hit in the crash said it was a close call.
“I was just in shock. I couldn’t believe this happened. I’m working, what am I going to do? I don’t have a vehicle,” Contreras said.
The driver is now under arrest. Police are still searching for the passenger, who fled from the scene. One witness recounts the moments after helping her out of the car.
“I heard a big boom from outside and the next thing you know I see clothes all over the street, on the road so I go to the car. It’s a lady flipped over with her blood in her face and I turned her over and the next thing you know I pulled her out of the car, she just took off running,” Ahmad Jefferson said.
The crash happened on Avenue 44 near Jackson Street just after 1 p.m. Friday.
The roadway was blocked by crash debris and closed to traffic for hours.
Sgt. Dan Marshall of Indio Police said the high speed pursuit started on Avenue 44 near Golf Center Drive.
Police were attempting to serve a felony warrant at a suspect’s home when they saw a car leaving the area.
They tried to stop the car, believing the suspect was inside, and that’ when the driver sped away onto westbound I-10.
Officers decided to end the pursuit after a few minutes for safety concerns because the suspect was driving erratically at speeds over 100 MPH, Sgt. Marshall said.
At about 1:15 p.m., the crash was reported on Avenue 44, east of Jackson Street.
KESQ and CBS Local 2 spoke to a witness at the scene who said he pulled the woman from the car after the crash, and then she ran away.
“The only thing she said is ‘I’m going to jail.’ That’s all she said, ‘I’m going to jail, let me go.’ I go, ‘You’re going to jail?’ and then she just ran,” Jefferson said.
Police ended up detaining her shortly afterward.
Contreras said he was lucky to walk away from the crash
“I’m ok. I have a little pain on the side of my temple but, it’s not major,” Contreras said.
Indio Police is asking for the public’s help to locate the passenger in the suspect’s vehicle. Police believe that passenger may be injured from the crash. If anyone has any information they are asked to contact Indio Police.
More: I-Team and Stands for You investigations
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