Police chase ends in crash on Detroit's east side

DETROIT (WJBK) - A suspect leading police on a chase lost control and crashed on Detroit's east side Thursday night.

The chase ended on Casino right off of Kelly. FOX 2 is told the driver of the stolen SUV lost control of the vehicle when he turned the corner, slamming into a parked car before crashing into a tree.

"I was lying in bed and the kids woke me up (saying) we just heard a big boom," says Arnasian Turner. "I look outside (and there's) a car that hit the gate."

And it happened in Arnasian Turner's backyard, literally.

The SUV crashed right where her children play. Thankfully it was too cold for their liking Thursday night and they weren't outside.

It all happened at about 7 p.m. when police spotted a tan Lexus SUV while doing a narcotics sweep on the east side. They ran the plate and discovered it was stolen from State and Griswold in downtown Detroit a month ago.

Officers did not go after it immediately; there were bigger fish to fry.

"They were doing an investigation on an individual at that time but they observed the vehicle in the area of the narcotics traffic," says Capt. Mark Thornton, Detroit police. "And when they came back after their investigation that's when they realized the vehicle was gone."

But they found it and the three people inside soon after. When police tried to stop the SUV, the driver floored it and led police on a chase from Seven Mile and Chalmers to Casino and Kelly.

"A total disregard for the public safety," Thornton says. "Anytime individuals disregard traffic signals, traffic lights, increased rates of speed they place not only themselves but our citizens, pedestrians in harm's way."

Thankfully, no one was hurt. Police say the man driving the SUV was going 60 miles per hour when he turned the corner smacking into a parked Pontiac. The owner is livid.

The three people took off on foot after crashing into the tree, but did not get far.

Police collared the trio and say there were possible narcotics inside SUV.

"I'm glad they caught them; this corner is very dangerous anyway," Turner says. "I'm in the process of moving. It's dangerous over here."

FOX 2: "What potential charges could these guys be facing now?"

"You have the fleeing and eluding of police, you have the possession of a stolen motor vehicle, you have subsequent narcotics charges if in fact proven to be narcotics," Thornton says.

All three people inside that SUV are in police custody and there's a good chance all will end up behind bars.