INDIANAPOLIS — A road rage incident escalated into a police pursuit that ended with a serious crash on Indianapolis' west side early Monday morning, leaving a woman in critical condition.
According to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, the incident began around 3:19 a.m. when officers were dispatched to the 6700 block of West Washington Street on reports of a disturbance between two vehicles.
According to IMPD, a Lincoln sedan was being aggressively followed by a Kia SUV, and the Kia driver had reportedly shown a gun during the confrontation.
Dispatchers also reported that the Kia struck the Lincoln before both cars entered I-465 northbound.
Officers located both vehicles and attempted a traffic stop on I-465, just south of the Crawfordsville Road overpass.
Police said both vehicles initially began to pull over, but the Kia suddenly fled, prompting officers to pursue.
The chase was brief due to dense fog on Monday morning, which quickly caused officers to lose sight of the fleeing vehicle, according to police.
Officers continued driving and discovered the Kia crashed on I-465 North. The vehicle also caught fire after rolling over, though the flames were extinguished before fire crews arrived.
The suspect driver, an adult female, was trapped in the overturned vehicle and required extrication by fire department crews.
Speedway Fire Department's Engine 89 worked alongside Pike Fire's Ladder 64 to free the driver from the wreckage. She was transported to the hospital in critical condition.
The IMPD Traffic Unit is conducting the crash investigation, while the Internal Affairs Unit is conducting a separate administrative investigation into the pursuit. The driver of the Lincoln sedan was not injured in the incident.
