Several Hurt, 1 In Custody After Route 51 Chase, Crashes
PLEASANT HILLS (KDKA) -- Police in Pleasant Hills say they have one man in custody after several people were injured during a police chase and a string of vehicle crashes along Route 51 Sunday afternoon.
"He hit the pole, and that's when we just dropped everything and we just ran as fast as we could because we thought he was coming [to hit] the side of the building," said Chelsea Ganther, a witness.
According to police, it all started just before 4 p.m. when a black pickup truck hit a car parked in the Pep Boys parking lot.
Authorities say the truck then hit a second car in the parking lot of a nearby party supply store, and that's when the chase began.
"He went through Southland Shopping Center where he hit several more before he snuck back out onto the highway, ended up down here where he hit three more cars before he hung himself up on the guiderail," said Sgt. Joe Kenney, of the Pleasant Hills Police Department.
When the driver finally came to a stop after hitting a guardrail near the Sheetz, police say a total of 10 people were injured, including several children.
Police say the driver apologized for causing the chaos.
"He was sorry for causing such a mess," Sgt. Kenney added.
The driver of the pickup truck was taken to UPMC Mercy Hospital for treatment of injuries.
There is no word on his condition, but investigators say he will be facing a list of charges, including possibly driving under the influence.
Police have not released his identity, but say he is about 30-years-old.
The children who were injured were taken to Children's Hospital, and the adults were transported to Jefferson Memorial Hospital. There's no word on their conditions.
The damage to the vehicles is still being tallied, but police say in all nine to 10 vehicles were hit.
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