Police officer injured in crash chasing alleged stolen vehicle in North Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A Philadelphia police officer was injured while chasing an alleged stolen vehicle in Nicetown-Tioga, the department said Thursday. The crash happened shortly after 12 p.m. in the 1900 block of West Wingohocking Street.
Two other cars were also hit at another scene a block away.
The officer was rushed to Albert Einstein Medical Center, where she is stable, police said. Sources also said she has a cut to her head and some back pain.
Chopper 3 was over the scene at Germantown Avenue and West Cayuga Street, where a grey SUV could be seen flipped on its side.
Neighbors said two women were inside it while driving along Germantown Avenue as police were chasing a stolen truck. They were rushed to a nearby hospital.
"It's unfortunate that this driver here caught the brunt of the crash," Zakariyya Abdur-Rahman said.
Abdur-Rahman is president of the Nicetown CDC, which works to promote businesses in the area, and said the crash startled the neighborhood.
"It was pretty loud," Abdur-Rahman said. "The impact could be heard for blocks. People came running all over because they heard the impact."
That wasn't the only wreckage left behind.
The owner of a red SUV said the car was parked, with no one inside, when it was also struck. Then, police claim an officer riding in her patrol car was also hit by the stolen pickup truck. The truck then slammed into a pole about one block away, at 19th and Wingohocking Streets, near where Jamal Peele had parked his car.
"People have just lost their minds to a degree," Peele said. "I don't know if it's the summertime, but it's too much nonsense. Messed up, you know, there's been a lot of car thefts around here."
"You're jeopardizing lives by running from law enforcement," Abdur-Rahman said.
"Whatever support that we can provide that we're able to do that," said State Representative Darisha Parker, who represents that part of Nicetown. "When I'm looking at the car that's damaged because of somebody that was doing something illegal, it's going to be my job to make sure that the police is OK."
According to police data, officers have been responding to 70 stolen or attempted stolen cars in the city every day.
Philadelphia Police said there's been more than 15,900 stolen or attempted stolen cars in the city so far this year. That is more than twice as many compared to the same time last year.
"A lot has to change with the economy in Philadelphia has to change," Parker said. "You also have to look at the age. The age of the carjacker aren't as old as you think, they're younger. So you now got to find out why our younger individuals finding something."
Neighbors in Nicetown said they're living in fear and need action now.
Police haven't said whether or not arrests were made in connection to the crash and stolen car.