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At approximately 1:15 a.m. this morning, Tucson Police Department (TPD) Operations Division South patrol personnel attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a dark gray Dodge Charger for a civil infraction. The vehicle failed to stop, and it was not pursued at that time. TPD’s Air Unit was called to the area to locate and monitor the vehicle. The vehicle stopped and the Air Unit observed the driver flee from the vehicle on foot. After the driver fled on foot, the passenger took control of the vehicle and left the area. Responding officers were guided into the original driver’s location by the Air Unit, and the suspect was detained a short time later without further incident.
Officers responding to assist in the apprehension of the original driver spotted the vehicle near Interstate 10, driving without its headlights on and demonstrating erratic driving behavior. The vehicle was observed merging onto eastbound Interstate 10 into oncoming traffic. An officer driving eastbound on the interstate, approaching the vehicle, attempted to warn drivers by activating their emergency lights and attempted to prevent its travel in opposing lanes of traffic. The suspect was able to maneuver past the officer and continued westbound in opposing lanes of traffic on Interstate 10.
A pursuit of the vehicle was authorized by a supervisor and the Air Unit utilized its spotlight in an attempt to warn drivers of the oncoming hazard. Patrol officers were attempting to catch up to the vehicle by driving in a parallel manner in the westbound lanes of Interstate 10, while simultaneously requesting assistance from the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZ DPS). As the suspect vehicle neared the Grant Road overpass, he collided head-on with an American Medical Response (AMR) ambulance, occupied by two medics.
Immediately following the collision, TPD officers and AZ DPS troopers arrived on the scene of collision. The AMR ambulance caught fire before the occupants could be removed. Law enforcement personnel worked to remove the trapped occupants of both vehicles while providing medical aid. Tucson Fire Department personnel responded to the scene and used special equipment to extract one of the AMR medics and the suspect from their vehicles.
Currently, one of the AMR medics and the adult male suspect are being treated for serious, non-life-threatening injuries and the second medic is being treated for critical injuries. Two other TPD officers, who assisted in the extrication, were treated for minor injuries.
Investigators from TPD’s Aggravated Assault and Traffic Investigations Units, AZ DPS Investigators and the Pima County Attorney’s Office responded to the scene to assist in the investigation. The incident will be reviewed pursuant to all applicable TPD and City policies. TPD’s Office of Professional Standards is conducting a parallel administrative investigation into the actions of TPD personnel. Additional details will be released as they become available.
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