Stolen Car Driver Causes Multi-Vehicle Crash In Hialeah
HIALEAH (CBSMiami) - The pursuit of a driver in a stolen car caused two accident scenes involving seven vehicles in Hialeah Tuesday morning.
Mandy Pena, according to Hialeah Police, was driving a stolen 2000 black Ford Focus in the area of East 6th Avenue and East 9th Street in Hialeah around 7 a.m.
An officer attempted to make a traffic stop by turning on his emergency lights but the suspect continued driving, crashing into four vehicles at the intersection of LeJeune Road and East 9th Street.
"As officers came around the corner, they realized that the subject had already fled from them here at the intersection of east 8th Avenue and 9th Street crashing against four vehicles," according to police spokesman Sgt. Eddy Rodriguez.
The force of the impact spun them in different directions in the intersection. Even though he was injured in the crash, the driver of the stolen vehicle tried to make a run for it.
"That man jumped out of the vehicle leaving behind, inside of his vehicle, an injured female," said Rodriguez.
A 33-year-old female, who police identify as Daniela Giron, was in the passenger seat of the stolen vehicle and was seriously injured during the crash. She was transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital. Police say she is not being charged with a crime as of yet.
Pena, according to police, ran to a nearby residential area in an attempt to hide from police.
Oscar Salazar was driving three cars behind the Focus. He said he stopped to help and saw the driver run away with blood dripping down his face.
"The driver of stolen car got out and started to run," said Salazar. "The woman was hurt. You could see her leg bones."
A perimeter was set up and during the search Pena, police say, forcibly entered an occupied home where he battered an elderly lady while her son tried to pull him off her.
Pena, according to police, then fled to the backyard of another resident in the area where he hid inside a trash can.
Police say Pena refused to surrender and was apprehended by a Hialeah Police dog.
Pena was arrested and transported to JMH to be treated for dog bites and injures from the crash.
Police say records show that Pena has a criminal history including Narcotics Possession, Robbery and Grand Theft.