Columbus officer injured after armed robbery suspects crash into cruiser during chase
Two armed robbery suspects are in custody after Columbus police say the suspects crashed a stolen vehicle into a police cruiser Tuesday morning — injuring the officer — during a pursuit with Franklin County Sheriff's deputies on the Northeast Side.
Columbus police first were called at 7:15 a.m. Tuesday to the 3600 block of Karl Road on the city's Northeast Side on the report of an armed robbery at a nearby business. About two hours later, Franklin County Sheriff's deputies and Clinton Township police located the suspects' vehicle, a Kia sedan that was reportedly stolen, said Sgt. David Scarpitti, a spokesman for the Columbus Division of Police.
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Deputies and police began pursuing the vehicle after its occupants refused to stop, Scarpitti said. While Columbus police officers were responding to provide aid, the suspects' vehicle crashed into a police cruiser at the intersection of Walford Street and Elmore Avenue near Cleveland Avenue, about a mile east of where the robbery was first reported.
The crash resulted in significant damage to both vehicles, and the lone officer was cut out of his cruiser by medics after becoming pinned, Scarpitti said. The two suspects fled the scene on foot but were later taken into custody, he added.
Scarpitti said both the officer and the two suspects were treated for non-life-threatening injuries at a nearby hospital.
The suspects have not yet been charged as the investigation is ongoing, Scarpitti said.
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Columbus police are investigating the robbery on Karl Road, as well as the reported stolen vehicle that the suspects were driving. Franklin County Sheriff's deputies are investigating the crash.
This is not the first time this month that a Columbus police officer was injured in a crash.
On Feb. 19, an officer was seriously hurt when he was hit around 9:05 p.m. by a vehicle while he was standing along Interstate 670 helping a disabled motorist near the 4th Street ramp.
In a video posted to the Fraternal Order of Police Capitol City Lodge No. 9's YouTube page, President Jeff Simpson criticized what he views as the lack of consequences for those teenagers who have made sport of stealing late-model Kias and Hyundais — which have become infamous for the ease with which they can be stolen — and using them to commit other crimes.
'Kia 'Boyz:'Teenagers have stolen thousands of cars in Columbus. What's the solution?
"It's very frustrating to say the least to have this continue over and over again," Simpson said in the video as he can be seen standing near the scene of Tuesday's wreck. "The problem is that there's no consequences for juvenile crime in this county."
elagatta@dispatch.com
@EricLagatta
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Armed robbery suspects crash stolen car into Columbus police cruiser
