Updated on: 11/19/2019
KOMO News is reporting that five people suffered a range of injuries Friday after an early-morning crash in Shoreline that was allegedly caused by a driver who was fleeing police at the time.
Nasty 3-car crash. Silver Nissan sped away from deputy, crashed and lit on fire. 5 injured.
— Nick McGurk (@NickKIRO7) June 3, 2016
According to multiple news reports, an officer spotted a silver Nissan sedan traveling at a high rate of speed on Aurora Avenue North near 192nd Street at approximately 1:30 a.m. and activated his emergency lights. As the officer attempted to pull over the Nissan, the Nissan sped up before running a red light at the North 155th Street intersection and crashing into the side of a black Lincoln towncar.
Police say that the driver of the Nissan reached speeds of up to 90 mph at one point. Both the Lincoln and the Nissan were severely damaged, and the Nissan reportedly caught fire shortly after the collision.
The force of the collision pushed the Lincoln into another vehicle. The driver of the Nissan and three other passengers inside the car were injured and taken to a nearby hospital. KIRO reports that the driver of the Lincoln broke his pelvis in the collision and had to be hospitalized as well. The occupants of the third vehicle were not seriously injured.
What Can Victims Do After A Police Chase Car Crash?
There have been no official reports about why the driver of the Nissan chose to flee the police pursuit. However, the fact that the driver failed to pull over and ended up causing serious injury to a seemingly innocent driver after running a red light increases the likelihood that he or she will be held responsible for causing the collision.
Unfortunately, many drivers who decide to run from police during a pursuit – especially at such a high rate of speed – do so because they are guilty of committing a crime or are not licensed to drive. These types of issues can complicate a victim’s ability to pursue a personal injury claim, particularly because insurance coverage is sometimes unavailable in these cases.
An experienced and qualified personal injury lawyer can help determine whether or not these issues may affect an accident victim’s claim for damages. And since most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, there is typically no obligation to at least consult with a lawyer about your legal rights and options after a serious crash.